


Immature Interest

by Good (HomeMovies), HomeMovies



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic), Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday, CP, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Corruption, F/M, Fucked Up, Kidnapping, M/M, Partners in Crime, Pedophilia, Prison, Prison Sex, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sadism, Sibling Incest, Smut, Stalking, Suspension, Underage Rape/Non-con, mature - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:08:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 43,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29356995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeMovies/pseuds/Good, https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeMovies/pseuds/HomeMovies
Summary: Sonic struggles with his pedophilia. Silver is haunted by childhood trauma. Shadow is there too. Find out what happens next in this page-turner.Cover image included.
Relationships: Amy Rose/Shadow the Hedgehog, Blaze the Cat/Silver the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 9
Kudos: 17





	1. The Video

**Author's Note:**

> * * *
> 
> ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story will contain characters from all across the Sonic franchise. I'm not sticking with one canon or story, so you'll get the 90s show, the comic books, the game, or neither. It's just Sonic. Sonic stuff.
> 
> I'm no Sonic expert, so I will more than likely get a few things wrong, but thats okay! This story isn't about Sonic's usual adventures, but about him being a pedophile. :)
> 
> I do hope you enjoy!

Sonic threw his phone in the air. The device spun, slowed, then crash-landed in a pair of white gloves. He did it again, then again, and again. Progressively upping the velocity in each toss. He watched the thing travel higher into the atmosphere. The screen reflected off the setting sun. He threw it one more time then he kicked it like a football. The small machine flew miles away until it skipped gently over the surface of the water then sank to its demise. Sonic watched it go. It got no warm farewell. 

He took a seat at the edge of the grassy cliff. The evening sun dipped beyond the ocean’s horizon. Despite the lovely view, Sonic couldn’t help but run a frustrated hand down his mug. 

It was March 4th; the first day of his adulthood. So far it started off on a bad note. Maybe if he didn’t share the day with two other inconsiderate assholes it would be _tolerable_ , well that’s what he told himself. In reality, he simply didn’t want to let his youth go. Soon there will be no excuses for not getting his life together despite being a world-renowned hero.

Well, a hero in his head. 

Some might argue otherwise. 

Sonic reclined down, his back to the soft ground, his head towards the pink sky. He watched as a cluster of clouds glided by, twisted into unusual shapes, slowly filled with precipitation. Two gloved hands obscured his view. He studied his appendages, nearly getting lost in the moment before he stuck two fingers in his left glove and pulled out a photograph. The hedgehog was gentle not to crease it more than he had to. 

Sonic wasn’t careful about anything in his life, but he made an exception for this one item. It was the only one he had, and getting his hands on it was more trouble than one would think. 

The boy in the photo held a _thumbs-up_ as his large eyes winked at Sonic. The hedgehog pressed a thumb over the soft features of the young smiling fox, he did this over and over again to the point of the polaroid indenting over his friend’s face. The sight of Tails put Sonic in a trance. Temporarily, he forgot about his shitty birthday and got lost in the form of the fox’s lips, and Sonic bit his own. His heart fluttered in his chest as he cursed the feelings arising inside of him. It was obvious what he wanted was wrong but he couldn’t—

“Why am I not surprised to find you at _my_ ponder place?” A husky voice startled the cobalt hedgehog. He sat up and grinned when his eyes landed on a grouch. His favorite grouch. A grouch among grouches who was far too easy to piss off. 

“Did you come up with that on your own? Because it's awful, Faker,” Sonic laid down again, his hands rested behind his head, and his legs crossed on top of each other. His red shoes playfully bounced. The photograph concealed in his closed palms. 

“I’m not the _Faker_ , Faker. If you’re going to take my spot at least shut up so I can think,” Shadow grumbled under his breath. His black and scarlet quills spiked towards the forming clouds, his arms crossed in annoyance. His scarlet pupils gazed at the rolling waves. 

“.. _or_ you can go and I can get my peace and quiet back,” Sonic winked at him with a smug, shit-eating, smirk plastered on his face. 

“Ha! Nice try, but this is _my_ spot and I’m not leaving,” 

“Neither am I, so you better get used to me, buddy,”

Shadow simply closed his eyes. He didn’t bother with a reply. They sat in silence for a minute. The conversation died down and Sonic wasn’t all too interested in poking fun at his emo counterpart, not today at least. He sighed but kept the smile on his face. 

The photo of Tails sat fresh in his mind. He wanted so badly to stare at it again, to feel his soft lips, and caress his beautiful cheeks. Obviously, that wouldn’t be possible with Shadow watching him like a hawk, and Sonic could tell the big idiot was staring despite his shut lids.

“Why are you _really_ here? Trying to convince me to go to that party, aren’t ya?” Sonic turned on his stomach. He looked up at Shadow like a schoolgirl at a slumber party; feet kicking behind him, head resting on his palms, eyelids fluttering. 

Shadow said nothing. He stood there unmoved. His arms still crossed, his eyes shut, his head low, and a scowl on his mug. The guy could erupt any second now. Sonic hoped he did. 

“I never took you as the caring friend, Shads. It warms my heart that you decided to check on me,”

“We aren’t friends,” The words were short and to the point. Shadow didn’t bother to entertain the thought. 

“Not friends? Even after all we’ve been through? Well forget you too, Mr. Sunshine,” Sonic wiped away an imaginary tear from his eye and dramatically pouted. His dark rival continued his silent treatment. Shadow didn’t react to any of his shenanigans. Today wasn’t going to be a fun day. 

Sonic turned around and tried to ignore the guy’s presence. There was nothing to look at, nothing out there except grass, sea, and sky. It did make a good spot to think but was pretty lacking in the entertainment department. This had to be the dark idiot’s spot since it was as boring as him. 

Sonic snickered. 

“Don’t you have a planet to blow up, or secret a government mission to screw up?” Sonic asked in a last-ditch attempt to get him to leave. Shadow took a minute to respond, but his feet remained planted in place. 

“I’m on holiday,” Black quills swayed in the breeze. 

“Don’t tell me the holiday is my birthday? I know I’m a pretty important guy, but the speedster worship is just getting ridiculous now.” Sonic shimmied his shoulders to get more comfortable. A small rock poked at his shoulder blade, but as if getting up admitted defeat, he didn’t bother to scoot over. 

His very _talkative_ company didn’t respond, again. 

The blue hedgehog chewed on his bottom lip. It was the only thing he could think to do to distract himself from the video, or Tails, or his birthday. His teeth teased the surface of his flesh, bouncing on the slight elasticity, and threatening to chomp down. His canines pressed ever so slightly. Sonic held his breath as he tugged on his lip, then bit it, then sank his teeth in the tender meat. He cursed when he drew blood. A white glove wiped at his leaking mouth leaving a smear of red on the soft fabric. 

“You’re probably here because of that video. I’m sure everyone’s seen it by now. It’s fine if you wanted to talk to me about it,” Sonic stuffed the picture of Tails back in his glove. He sucked on his bleeding lip 

“You’re in _my_ ponder place—“ Shadow was swiftly cut off before he could finish his sentence. 

“You don’t gotta be a gentleman about it. Just come out and say you saw my sister naked. It ain’t like I’m gonna jump at your throat,” Sonic nervously snickered again. 

Shadow shifted his weight but continued to say nothing. 

“I bet you want to know why she did it, and somehow point the finger at me as if I have control over my sister. Well, I don’t and won’t get into it,” 

“Then don’t—“

“And now you’re using reverse psychology on me. Well, guess what, big guy! I know all those mind tricks and it won’t work, I’ll tell ya that!” Sonic continued to ramble. It wasn’t something he was keen on doing, but right now his mind was running a mile a minute and oddly enough, he wasn’t fast enough to keep up with it. “I’m not going to spill my family drama all over ya, not that you really care,”

“I honestly don’t care—“ 

“How can I face anyone when that dumb video is available for any Tom, Dick, and Harry to jack off to? I refuse to be in the same room as her until she takes it down...and apologizes!” Sonic clenched his fists just thinking about it. He didn’t want to bother questioning the number that sent the link to the video. It would be too easy to trace back the unknown caller, but did he care enough to do that? He didn’t think so. “I know they’re all talking about it. I’m probably a laughingstock by now.”

“You’ve always been a laughingstock, Faker. Now stop talking before you embarrass yourself more.” 

Sonic said nothing this time. 

He looked at the vacant sun, the crystal water, the dark clouds. His phone was _probably_ blowing up with messages underwater. His friends were _probably_ looking for him. His sister _probably_ didn’t deserve to get yelled at. No, she totally deserved it. Her actions did more than hit his ego. Under all the self-centered rage he was simply a caring brother who saw the direction she was slowly dragging towards, and he saw how Manic responded. Complicit wasn’t the word. More like encouragement. 

The speedster closed his eyes and rolled over on his side. Who cared if Shadow was there to witness a moment of weakness? He certainly didn’t. The bastard could hold this over his head for the rest of his life, but that didn’t stop the stream from staining his cheeks. He silently cried into his palm, the gloves over his blue fur quickly grew drenched in his snot and tears. His pain went deeper than his siblings, or even his coming of age. It went far deeper, but he refused to address it. 

Shadow cleared his throat. 

Suddenly it became very awkward. 

“Sorry, I think I have something in my eye. It’s super stuck in there and pretty painful,” Sonic quickly got up and wiped at his face. He kept his back to Shadow as he made a poor attempt to explain away his wet face. His rival wasn’t falling for it. 

“Look, I’m probably the last person to dump this on—“

“I know. I’m totally talking out of my ass, so just forget everything I just told you, okay?” Sonic left a snail trail on his pale arm. He was a mess, but with everything else in his life, he could quickly turn that around. The hedgehog wore a smile before he turned to face Shadow. The two made awkward eye contact. For a few long seconds, they gazed into each other’s souls. It was Shadow who pulled away first. 

“Let me finish,” A quilled head turned to the side, red eyes shutting once more. “I’m the last person to dump it on, but I understand you better than anyone else,” 

“Really? You? I mean you don’t exactly take me as a family guy,” Sonic questioned him in disbelief. 

“Yes. If there even existed such a video of Maria, I would—“ This time Shadow cut himself off. “Just know there is a difference between my niece and that whore of a sister of yours. Most women are untrained bitches after all,” 

Sonic stood up, fist clenched, as his brows furrowed. “Excuse me?” Despite his own anger, what type of person would he be if he let anyone call Sonia out of her name? He couldn’t stand for that. Not now, not ever. 

“I mean no disrespect, but c’mon. Only a slut would record herself getting a train ran on her ass. Quite the birthday present—“

Sonic swung at Shadow’s chin. The black hedgehog stumbled back before another strike hit him square in the nose, then the gut, then hard against the cheek again. Blood sprayed from his nostrils as he fell back on his behind. Sonic got on top of him and began pounding on his face.

The clouds sagged from the weight before the sky opened. The rain hit the shining body of water first. Droplets skipping over the ocean’s surface. The water bounced like Sonic’s lost phone, then it soaked the two tussling bodies. The blue hedgehog’s fists stung with the added moisture. It made a wet smack against Shadow’s fur. It broke the skin, and damaged tissue, and tenderized flesh. It was relentless. It was filled with anger, pain, and fear. It shook with each brutal blow. 

Shadow didn’t once attempt to put up a fight, allowing Sonic to get hit after hit until he couldn’t bash anymore. He took it like a champ and didn’t once flinch or cringe. He simply laid beneath his rival, his rival on top of his bleeding mug. Shadow grinned at him, left eye black and swollen, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Better?” He asked before he spat out a tooth. 

Sonic slumped off his beaten chest. The rain did an amazing job at hiding his tears. He wiped his brow before nodding. After a moment of listening to each other’s quicken inhales, and the pattering raindrops, Sonic finally said, “I don’t want to be an adult. I mean look how crappy you turned out,” 

Shadow sat up. He still wore his injured grin. “Well, you better accept it now. It gets much worse than seeing your sister in a porno,” 

The two sat in silence for the third time that night. It seemed silence was sometimes the best conversation. The shower continued to downpour, the waves crashed against the shore, the sky darkened, the wind blew. Neither one of them moved. 

“You’re crazy, you know that?” Sonic mumbled after finally catching his breath. He could appreciate Shadow’s twisted way of making him feel better. Maybe he should beat up people more often whenever he has a bad day. The hedgehog looked down at his rising chest. The white gloves covering his knuckles were now brown from the mud and blood. He didn’t dare take them off, not when Tails was snuggled inside. 

“Next time you decide to use my ponder place, tell me first. You ruined my whole evening,” Shadow turned to leave. 

“Wait you’re not gonna take me to my party—“ Sonic didn’t have time to finish that sentence, Shadow was already gone.


	2. The Call

The raindrops danced along the windowsill. Water glided in the glass, stuck to it like suction cups on a squid, then bundled together. Small pools turned to big pools, big pools to large pools. Eventually, the rain swept it all away and replaced it with new suctions, new pools, new puddles.

Silver watched this process over and over again. Tuscan eyes glued to the glass that lead to the outside world. His grey fur, messy, and pasted to his sweating cheek. Beyond the rain he only had a box fan to keep him company. It was dark in his room. He was alone. 

A phone rang. 

The hedgehog held his breath as the rain grew more aggressive. It thrashed against his window as if demanding to be let in. No longer was the sound a pattern, rhyme, but cluttered noise of an angry ocean. 

He clutched his knees to his chest, in the fetus position, afraid, and on the cold ground. Around him were newspapers, photos, clip outs, articles. Anything he could find to ease the ache in his head. He lied to himself and promised to do  _ something.  _ Prevent the next one, save another person from turning out like him, but he couldn’t. The minute he steps outside he feels it, all of  _ it.  _ Just a bombardment of perversion that he was helpless to crush. It made him sick. 

He made himself sick.

The phone rang again. The tune echoed throughout the small room. It vibrated beneath him. It was loud enough to be an alarm, loud enough for the hard of hearing, yet Silver didn’t budge. 

The neon glow from his grey palms illuminated his wet face. The tears came so naturally, he couldn’t remember a time when he last had dry cheeks. His body produced more tears than the blood flowing through his veins. Being so sensitive, a crybaby, was embarrassing at first, but after months of being alone in the room, he couldn’t think of a different way of life. To weep was to solve all his problems, or forget them. 

Silver wanted to divert his gaze from the window, he wanted to close his eyes, get the much needed sleep he’s been avoiding for the past 48 hours, but he couldn’t. It was the boogieman, or the monster under his bed, or perhaps the real life threat he no longer faced.

He was free. 

He  _ should _ sleep. 

His eyes refused to shut. 

So the hedgehog laid there memorizing the new sound of the rain, watching life pass him by, trying not to think. Trying not to get lost in his head. He tried but he failed. In a few traitorous seconds he was right back in a familiar bedroom, not the one he’s been alone in a forsaken amount of time, but a child’s room. Toys scattered across the floor, pages torn from coloring books decorated the walls, paper mâché insects dangled from the ceiling. He could see it all so vividly. 

Silver took a few steps forward, his feet no longer shielded in navy and baby blue boots, but his bare toes wiggled against an alphabetic carpet. A remote-control steam engine chugged towards him and blew white smoke from its plastic chimney. A friendly jingle played from a radio. On the large queen bed stood a mountain of pillows stacked sky-high. Stuffed animals invited the hedgehog to take a seat, so he did. His hands were now devoid of the blue light. He looked up and saw himself staring back at him. His silver fur was shaped in five points like a maple leaf. His golden eyes looking at his little face, his little hands, his little shape. 

In the mirror, he saw another person. Another little face, little hands, little shape. Her purple fur brushing against his. He lips kissing his forehead. The frown they shared. The jingle grew louder and louder until it was deafening. It blurred against his tiny eardrums, threatening to rupture the poor muscles if he didn’t cover them. He plugged his ears with his fingers and he shut his eyes. 

That’s when he felt it. Like an anaconda coiled around its prey, the slithering appendages grasped at his slender torso. It squeezed his neck before traveling further down his body. He didn’t dare peek. He didn’t want to see the boogieman, monster under his bed, or real-life threat. The gripping got more forceful. The hands continued their trek until they found their destination.

Silver opened his eyes. He was in a pool of sweat and urine. 

The phone rang again. It roared like a starved lion, shook with the force of a volcanic eruption, lit up its green screen to signal the incoming call. The machine made a huge effort, but again, got no response. 

A whimper soon overshadowed the noise. Silver was stuck on the floor, his body physically fine but mentally paralyzed. The bathroom wasn’t far. He didn’t have to lay in a pool of his own filth, but he figured it was fitting for such a used-up piece of shit. There was no stopping his trembling now, they became uncontrollable and vicious. 

The hedgehog was filled to the brim with shame.

His eyes studied the rain again. His vision was blurred from sleep deprivation, but he had to keep staring. His heart pounded in his chest when he saw a shadowy figure past by his window. Silver’s apartment was basement level, the only windows were located very high up and led to a busy street. People came and went all the time, he often got the full ambiance of the city night, but no ever got close enough to clearly make out a form.

It was glaring back at him. 

Silver finally sat up.

He pushed himself as far away from the window as possible. The hands gripping him before began to feel real again. He could physically see its shape, feel the tight clench around his neck and soft stroking around his—

He would throw up if he had something in his stomach beyond acid. 

Silver very slowly crawled to the bathroom. He slipped in the tub and turned the water on to both hideaway and wash the piss tangled in his fur. There was no telling what that creature—person—whatever it was. He couldn’t tell if it came for him, to drag him back  _ home,  _ or maybe kill him for getting away. He would deserve it. He should’ve known better than to disobey. 

The hedgehog rocked in the porcelain box as he held his quills. There was no getting a grip on life. He was far too gone. 

Perhaps he was crazy. Perhaps he was imagining the sound of glass shattering or the howling wind rushing into his room. Perhaps the water wasn’t flooding both his bathroom and bedroom floors. Silver turned the faucet again to block out all the noise. The bathroom tub was filled to the brim yet he needed more water. 

He heard a bang now. Just more chaos beyond the door. The stranger’s footsteps creaking against wooden floorboards, its hands audibly tearing papers off walls. It went on for a long time, the clashing and noise. His imagination destroying the last shred of justice that he held, forget his dignity, without his strong moral sense of right and wrong he had—

There was a knock on the bathroom door. 

Golden eyes stared, a steady inhale stalled, the tap shut off. He listened. 

Another knock, this time louder and more aggressive. 

Silver grabbed at his dome. He pulled on his grey fur as he desperately tried to regain a sound mind. He wouldn’t accept insanity. He wouldn’t accept his brain betraying him in such an awful way. 

Something told him it would be better to accept this as reality than a nightmare. Something else told him not to give in. So he sat in the overflowing tub, water up to his chin, as he attempted to differentiate between fiction and—

The knock was more of a bang this time. Whatever was on the other side of the door now jiggled the locked knob. It wanted to get in. It was relentless and Silver knew eventually, real or fake, it would get him. As the door struggled to stay on its hinges after each shoulder shove, the hedgehog sobbed like an infant. 

“Please don’t hurt me!” He cried, but this only made the stranger more determined. The doorknob busted out of place and before the door could go with it, Silver held up a telepathic hand to reinforce the only thing separating the two. The structure illuminated in a light blue, casting light against the shadows in the dark bathroom. 

Then the phone rang. It was the fourth time that night. The fourth time Silver noticed. His landline often went off, several times throughout the day, weeks, months. Not once did he answer a call, for he knew better. It was the future calling, wondering if he’s done it yet. If he’s saved the world. 

“NOOooo! Go away!” He hadn’t. The goal of purification backfired and now he was nothing more than a terrified,  _ dirty,  _ hermit. 

The footsteps retreated away from the bathroom door. Silver let out a breath. The phone was placed on speaker. Silver listened. He heard the voice of a woman, a soft voice. 

“Hello? I hope this isn’t the wrong number again, but would this happen to be Silver the Hedgehog by any chance?” She asked and instantly he recognized it. 

Though gravely afraid, Silver couldn’t risk his only friend falling prey to whatever  _ heathen _ currently terrorized his home. He rushed to open the bathroom door, and the sight that beheld him almost made the telepath fall to his knees. His whole apartment was in ruin. His bed was flipped over, his furniture smashed apart, mirrors cracked. He held a hand to his face expecting to find a guy in all black with a weapon, but there was no such thing. He was alone. The wind blew against his curtains as the hole in the window let more rushing water in. 

“Is anyone there?” The voice spoke again. 

“Y-yes. Yes, I’m here,” he grabbed the phone, huddled around it as he laid down on his soaked floor. 

“Oh, God. I’m...I’m so happy to hear your voice,” The person on the other end struggled to get the words out. He could tell she teared up. Sorrow made such a distinctive sound. It pulled at heartstrings and caused the brain to sag like thunderclouds until a person couldn’t hold the sadness anymore. They would wash it out with tears. 

“I thought you—I didn’t think I would hear from you alive, but where have you been all this time? I’ve been searching for you the minute you disappeared,” 

Silver said nothing at first. He barely remembered how he even got here, why he left. He was sent back in time to save the world. That was his mission, that was his purpose. He couldn’t forget. “I needed to recoup. I’m better now, I promise,” 

He heard faint sobbing on the other end. “Then you’ll need to come to see me tomorrow. I have a lunch break at 11,” 

“Lunch break?” He asked, in a vain attempt to change the subject.

“Yeah. I now have a job,” she let out an exhausted chuckle. 

Silver was genuinely happy for her. She sounded so well adjusted. That was more than he could say about himself. “Congratulations. That’s great news,” 

There was a pause. The two listened in to each other’s breathing. It was exactly what he needed, a voice to calm the raging storm, and it was the only person who truly understood him. Silver shut his eyes, becoming completely enamored by the soft inhales of his childhood friend. 

“You’ll come see me, Silver, won’t you? We can meet up at Union Park. You still live in Empire City, don’t you?” 

The voice was asking too many questions he didn’t exactly want to reply to. His first thought was ‘ _ who wants to know?’  _ Did she somehow have a connection to whoever trashed his apartment? Was this a trap? He’d rather hang up now, and continue to waste away in this basement, but now his sanctuary was defiled, and if he didn’t feel safe here what was the point in staying. 

“I understand if this is too much. I was just hoping that maybe I wouldn’t have to do this alone anymore, maybe you can join me and we can finally live the life that we both deserve,” 

Silver rolled over on his back. He opened his eyes to see himself staring back at him. This time there were no little hands or little feet, little face e nor a little shape. This time it was him. It was the boy he was always destined to be, and there was no avoiding it. On the ceiling he didn’t see a mirror, he saw his name. A dead name that wouldn’t die. It was rotten and zombified but he was helpless to kill it. It stained his every being and reminded him that it would always be his identity for as long as he lived.

_ Silver Boy _

“Okay.” The hedgehog whispered into the phone. 


	3. The Photos

“You missed a whole bunch yesterday,” 

Sunlight peeked through the rusted windows of the old hangar. Light reflected off the wings of a small aircraft. Sonic squinted each time his office chair spun in the light's direction. His bandaged knuckles gripped the backrest, his sneakers pushed off the concrete ground and created momentum. He spun leisurely, which wasn’t all that enjoyable, but if he dared go faster he wouldn’t get his little buddy’s message. 

“Oh yeah? What I miss?” The hedgehog asked as he slowed down. 

“A lot! I mean, I had to go home early since apparently I’m too  _ young  _ for an adult party,” Bits and pieces of scrap flew as they were discarded behind the fox’s shoulder. He had his head buried in what Sonic could only describe as another  _ gizmo _ . Technology wasn’t his thing, and as far as he could tell all robots looked alike. 

“Sorry about that, Deuce. I would’ve let you stay,” The office chair came to a creaking halt. Sonic’s eyes landed on the two bushy tails attached to his friend’s behind. They swayed like seaweed in a calm tide. 

“I wish you were there. Everyone put so much work in setting up the party,” There was faint disappointment in the fox’s voice. It was obvious how painful Sonic’s surface-level nonchalance hit Tails. The last thing he wanted was for his friend to think he didn’t care. Sonic didn’t care about his birthday, but he did care about his companion’s feelings. 

“I wish I could’ve been there too, but I had to beat a few goons into submission. You know hero stuff comes first,” Sonic lied as he stared at his swollen fists. Shadow must’ve had a titanium skeleton. The minute the blue hedgehog woke up that morning his hands were on fire. 

“I get that.” Tails went quiet. The sound of his tinkering replaced his voice. Metal against metal echoed throughout the small hangar. Sonic watched as his tiny friend fiddled around with his back turned to him. Tails’ knees sat on top of a rolling stool for leverage. He was too small for the desk to sit in it properly. 

Sonic got up and got closer. He leaned next to him and occasionally gazed down at the mechanical box on the desk. Really, it was an excuse to look at Tails. He always looked so adorable while hard at work. Oversized goggles covered his blue eyes. A look of pure focus edged his mug. The pup stopped when he noticed Sonic’s gawking. He smiled at his friend, totally native to the lust riddling the hedgehog’s pupils. 

“Both Manic and Sonia performed for everyone. I recorded it if you wanna see,” Tails pointed at his computer.

Sonic frowned. He held up a hand to stop him. “Maybe later, but what about my gift? Don’t tell me you forgot,” The speedster winked and Tails giggled. It was a sigh of relief that the conversation ended before it even got started. Sonic wasn’t all that interested in hearing about his siblings. Hell, he slept outside in the rain just to avoid going home and running into them. 

“Of course I didn’t forget! How can I when you’re my best friend?” The stool screeched against the concrete ground. Tails scurried off behind one of the flyers. Sonic watched him go as the biggest smile spread across his face. He knew some people might find it strange that he was friends with a kid 10 years his junior, but he saw nothing wrong with it. 

Despite being attracted to the boy. 

“Close your eyes, okay?!” A pitched voice yelled at him. Sonic instantly shut his lids as he waited in excitement. He felt like a kid in a candy store who had the first shot at tasting the newest chocolate bar, well and doing it blindfolded, and with Tails. 

He half hoped his friend would return with a bow wrapped around his torso. Maybe approach him with a seductive grin, then a kiss on his cheek. Maybe he would run his hands through his fur, whisper against his eardrums, get on his knees. That cute face between his legs, his lips kissing his thighs, and that boyish voice gently muttering his name—

“Sonic! You can open your eyes now,” Miles looked up at the hedgehog. His innocent eyes filled with childish joy as he presented him with the box. It was clumsily wrapped, tape haphazardly stitched pieces of paper together like Frankenstein’s monster, but Sonic could tell heart was put into it. When the gift was exchanged from one hand to the other, the two boys' hands briefly brushed. Tails gloves warmed the tight wrappings on Sonic’s fingers. The moment was over before it even began, yet the hedgehog craved more. He wanted to grab his companion's palms and just hold them, hold them, and transfer the strong love he had for the fox. 

Tails pulled away. Large eyes blinked at him as they waited for the gift to be opened. 

“This..uh.. this feels pretty heavy,” Sonic tried to cut the one-sided tension. Tails appeared completely clueless to Sonic’s desires. 

“Yup! Just wait until you see what it is,” His young friend bounced on his tippy toes. Sonic was dragging this on longer than he had to. The guy was the embodiment of speed, yet he stalled more than a bank tailor on a Monday morning but having an excuse to have Tails so close to him made it worth it. The kid was holding onto his peach arm and doing it without a threat nearby like usual. 

Not a tangible threat at least. 

Sonic slowly took apart the wrapping to reveal a small machine with several lights and switches on the side. It had a hatch that opened to a grill, and a screen displaying numbers. It wasn’t any bigger than a microwave. “Neato! What does this doohickey do?” 

Tails removed his hands from Sonic’s arm and instantly he missed the fox’s warmth. 

“Well, knowing how much you love chilly dogs, so I thought I would convert one of our old toaster ovens into an endless chilly dog machine! You can get sizzling hot dogs just by adding water,” Tails explained with a studious grin. 

“Just add water, huh? Now that’s genius, little buddy,” Sonic ruffled his friend’s fur. He could see this machine sitting on his counter, and being used until the wheels fall off—or perhaps the grill. 

“Oh! I have another one too!” Tails exclaimed before quickly disappearing again. 

Suddenly Sonic was alone, and his heart was fluttering. The imprint the muscle made warned of its threat to escape out of his chest. Steady breathing was all but a thing of the past as the hedgehog tried to get a hold of himself. He turned his back from where Tails disappeared, just so he had a moment to calm down. His palms were drenched in sweat, and he knew he just reeked of nervousness. 

No girl his age ever made him feel this way, and that scared him. Maybe he was a plain old freak, but how could any sensible person accept that? The logical, and perhaps more acceptable, response would be a different orientation. Maybe Sonic desired men? But that thought was quickly shot down the moment he realized how much the thought of sleeping with men disgusted him. 

Tails appeared to be the exception, for whatever reason. Sonic wanted him on a mere physical basis, personality be damned. There really wasn’t anything special about the fox, beyond his smarts and the two tails—and age? His age had little to do with it. It had to be their strong friendship, or Tails unaltered devotion, or his small frame, short height, naivety. 

So characteristics  _ totally  _ not associated with children. Miles being underaged, prepubescent, was simply a coincidence. 

“This one is kinda last minute, but let’s just say a little birdie told me you would like it a lot,” Small footsteps approached the hedgehog. Sonic turned around to find a book in Tails’ hands. 

“I personally don’t see how this makes for a very  _ adult  _ gift—I mean I didn’t know you liked photography so much, and if you do that’s okay. I hope that didn’t sound mean, I just mean that..” Miles tried to explain himself. Sonic chuckled at his cute behavior. He took the book and opened the cover. 

“...it’s only photos of me. Pretty lame, huh?” 

For a small pocket of time, Sonic disregarded where he was and who was around him. The first photo contained a younger Miles, his sapphire eyes focused on the off screen cameraman, yellow fur soaked to his skin as he sat in a bubble bath. His small paws were devoid of gloves as they reached out for a rubber duck. Sonic flipped the page. Now Miles had a face full of spaghetti. He didn’t look at the camera as he was more distracted by his meal. His two tails hung off the large bench he sat on top. Sonic turned the page again and this time Miles was spread out on a blanket, fast asleep. Yellow furry feet resided in the foreground, a sleeping face and finger in a small mouth sat in the background. His tails and tight bum was the highlight. 

Sonic shut the book. 

“I don’t know where most of those pictures came from, but man are they embarrassing, right?” Tails scratched the back of his neck as his face burned hot. 

Sonic’s face was also hot, but for other reasons. 

“I’d understand if you don’t want it. Honestly, I don’t know why this was even a suggestion—“ 

Before his young companion could take the book away, Sonic held it towards his chest. “I’ll keep it, Deuce. I think it’s pretty cool actually. Thanks a bunch!” He held his signature smile to his face as he tried so very hard to appear as normal as possible. It was harder said than done when he was so—

“Okay, Sonic! I’m happy you like it. Maybe I’ll take more pictures, but this time pictures of the both of us,” Tails then held up a thumbs up and Sonic lost it.

He pulled his friend into a tight hug, his nose pressed against his shoulder as the taller hedgehog got on his knees to be at proper eye level. Their bodies pressed against each other, Miles’ tails unintentionally tickled his cheek. Sonic grabbed them and stroked them, his friend’s leg pressed against his crotch, Sonic’s heartbeat went haywire. The tail rubbing got more intense as the hedgehog took in a whiff of the pup's shoulder, then his neck, and before he knew it his lips pressed against his yellow fur. 

“Sonic?” Tail's soft voice was filled with such innocent confusion that he couldn’t help his brewing erection. 

Sonic pushed him away before he did something he couldn’t undo. His head hung low as he realized how wrong his feelings were. He knew he shouldn’t be lusting over a  _ kid.  _

Tails held his wet neck. Sonic’s heart sank. 

“I’m sorry, Bud. I just remembered I had to help Sonia with the cleanup. Looks like this speedster never gets a moment of rest. First, the robots and now my sister, talk about a major bummer,” The blue hedgehog ran a bandaged hand through his quills before stretching out his long legs. He ran in place for a second, then enthusiastically bounced as if preparing for a sprint. “I’ll catch ya later, wise guy,” A wink and a two-finger salute later, and the blue blur was gone. He didn’t wait for Tails to wave farewell, he didn’t wait to see how his friend responded. 

He just ran. 

  
  


Sonic didn’t know where the hell he was going. He definitely wasn’t going to bother going home, or Shadow’s supposed  _ ponder place _ . So he ran until he couldn’t run anymore, or he grew bored, whichever one came first.

As he passed faces, buildings, landscapes, billboards, his head filled with the images of Tails. The album remained in his palms, the chill dog machine tucked under his armpit. He wanted to get rid of it, the images. He knew he shouldn’t have them, he knew he should end his friendship with the kid for his own safety. Sonic didn’t want to believe he would ever hurt Tails, but at that moment, as he ran from his problems, he wasn’t so sure. 

He knew it was possible. 

He knew it was inevitable. 

He hated himself for it. 

Soon he slowed down. His legs craved to keep going, but his mind begged for him to face this. Not to ignore it. So he stopped. 

He could easily run around the circumference of the planet dozens of times over and not break a sweat, yet he was still in Empire City. He didn’t get far and maybe there was a reason for that. 

A diner stood before him just at the outskirts of downtown. Red neon lights flickered above the head as the bulbs spelled out the name of the establishment. Soda cans sailed in puddles from last night’s rain. A pair of sneakers dangled off a telephone cable. Cars dashed by. Trash littered the ground just outside the entrance, yet Sonic casually strolled in. He wasn’t exactly there for a meal, so who cared how decrepit the place was? 

“You guys gotta shitter?” He asked with his hands held behind his head and the smuggest grin on his guilty, perverted, face. 

The waitress behind the counter simply pointed her ink pen to the back. Sonic followed her awful directions to a set of two doors. Male and female. He tugged on the knob to the male bathroom but found it was locked. Whistling, he quickly took a look around to make sure the coast was clear, then slipped into the female bathroom, and locked the door behind him. The place was just as dirty as the rest of the diner. Used balled up papers flooded out of the trash can. Lovely messages such as ‘*Julia is a slut! call for a good time,* and ‘*Bobby sucks dick for a pack of cigs*’ were inscribed on the dirty walls. Phallic scribbles accompanied the writings to add an extra pinch of  _ class _ . “I’d love to meet Julia,” he joked to himself, knowing full well how much of a lie that was. 

Sonic admired his appearance in the mirror. He totally ignored the broken needle on the sink. Why should he bother to pay attention to something so irrelevant when his beautiful mug was present? His own self-image distracted him for a minute until he remembered why he was really there. 

The hedgehog placed the chilly dog machine on the filthy floor before he took a seat on the  _ less than sanitary  _ toilet. He ignored the germs, right now he had pressure building in his groin that he needed to release. He flipped through the photo album. Progressively, the seemingly innocent images got more raunchy to his twisted. He couldn’t help but think how much of a freak he was for looking at a kid being a  _ kid, _ and getting so turned on by it. He continued to flip, growing more sick of himself, until he landed on a picture with the two of them. 

The two stood side by side. Sonic held up his index finger with a hand to his hip, and Tails waved. He remembered this day as if it were yesterday. The two accomplished so much together, the fox being a super genius and Sonic being super at everything else. They were a dynamic duo, they still are. Miles would always tackle things in an intelligent manner, yet still looked up to him. He still idolized him. To not want the very best for the kid would just be an injustice and anyone that would dare take his innocence away deserved—

Sonic started to masturbate.

His penis stood hard in his grip. He stroked it just as gently as he rubbed Miles’ tails. He envisioned his friend before him, on his knees, with those oversized goggles on. That stupid smile on his face. Those stupid gloves. That stupid, stupid wink. The feeling would be euphoric. Oh! He just knew it. 

His wrist stroked faster. He had enough sense not to reach jet speeds in fear of tearing his member off, but the way it jerked was likened to a vibrator. The hedgehog bit his bottom lip. 

Tails opened his little mouth to reveal a jaw of teeth and four large canines. His pink throat was as tight as a wool sock and moist as a sliced blueberry. The kit wrapped a warm tongue around his shaft. He slobbered on the base, licking him, nibbling on him, sucking, but unable to shove the whole thing in his small mouth. He fluttered his eyelashes at Sonic as he giggled, “This doesn’t taste like a popsicle. When is the filling gonna come out?” 

Sonic came all over the photograph. 

He was breathing heavily, shaking, in complete disbelief of what he just did. He wanted to hit himself, punish himself for betraying his natural sense of morality—he did have morals, right? He should know better. He should do better. He shouldn’t be such a freak. It was bad, all of it was so very bad, but it felt so good. The internal conflict stood more painful than any mission he’s tackled yet. 

Sonic couldn’t like Tails. He couldn’t like kids. He just couldn’t.

The clean up was quick. He didn’t want to linger around, and it wasn’t just because of the smell. The place now held a memory, it bared witness to his sin, and therefore it was best if he never came back. The hedgehog gently cleaned the plastic holding the picture before he wiped the cum out of his fur. He was out of there in under a minute. 

As Sonic tried to appear as normal as possible when he left the bathroom, he was stopped by the waitress. “The other John was occupied and I really had to go. I swear I wasn’t tryna peep,” He quickly tried to explain as he held his items up in innocence. 

The waitress said nothing but simply handed him a note. Sonic took it and read it over. His eyes grew wide before they searched around the diner in confusion. Before the waitress could leave he grabbed her. “Who gave you this?” 

“Don’t ask me. I thought he was you until he handed me the note. It’s not my job to keep up with your twin,” 

  
  
  



	4. The Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again.
> 
> It seems I forgot to mention the wacky age differences in this story. Some may wonder why Tails is still 8 while Sonic is 18. The simple answer?
> 
> Aging is altered to fit the plot.
> 
> Some characters are far older than their canon self, and some are younger. Some are unaltered. Just depends.
> 
> Anyway, on with the story. :)

Dressing oneself is a basic skill learned in early childhood, and mastered before puberty. An able body adult should have the  _ daunting  _ task down in a matter of seconds. Technically, Silver was both able-bodied and an adult, yet he had difficulties getting ready. 

The hedgehog didn’t wear much, except a pair of boots and golden cuffs. The clothing wasn’t the hard part, it was the showering, and brushing, and styling. It was the fixing of his appearance to look like a well-adjusted member of society. He simply wasn’t, though, but today he had to pretend. If not for himself at least for  _ her _ . 

He avoided mirrors like the plague. A telepath, such as himself, shouldn’t have to rely on them. That was the excuse he was sticking with so he wouldn’t have to face the fear of seeing himself. Not like this. To see the dark bags under his eyes, or his sunken cheeks, his unkempt fur, his protruding rib cage, his weak frame. To have to acknowledge his poor state of body and mind would just slip him into another depression. 

Silver walked out of the bathroom. He caught a glimpse of his insomniac eyes, and zombie posture, in the reflection of his good window. He tried cleaning up a bit after last night. He placed his bed on its frame, and threw away as many papers as he could bother to pick up, he even placed a cardboard box over the hole in his window. It wasn’t much, but it was the effort put in that he wouldn’t usually do. 

With one last look, he approached his apartment door. A door he hadn’t touched in months except for the occasional moment when he remembered he needed nutrients and therefore ordered takeout. The thought of food made Silver’s previously dormant stomach growl. He held it in an attempt to shut the organ up. Food was a luxury a boy like him did not deserve. If he behaved he would be awarded something to eat.

He chewed on his nails. 

The door suddenly grew intimidating. He didn’t know if he should risk it. Was his friend really worth the trouble? Maybe, but then the image of last night’s intruder reminded him of the danger he now faced in the apartment. It wasn’t a home anymore. It became another cage the minute his temple was defiled. Now all he saw was a dirty old room filled with filth and broken promises. 

He didn’t waste any more time and unlocked his front door. It had been double bolted with a chain lock and a key. Rusted coated the metal from months of neglect. It took him a minute to get his nervous fingers to pry the thing free as he slowly pulled the door open. Cool air from the hallway quickly rushed into the small room, a blaring light stun against his yellow pupils, three other black apartment doors greeted him. He could faintly hear a television behind one door and arguing behind the next. 

Silver gulped. Like an astronaut at zero gravity, he took one step forward, then the next. It felt like walking on foreign ground. He couldn’t recall what the world beyond his door felt like, but the more he wandered away from it, the more he wanted to go back. He couldn’t, he knew he couldn’t. Soon he exited the hallway to find a set of stairs. He remembered where they led, and even if he forgot, the red exit sign above his head guided him. Slowly, he gripped the banister. The metal felt cold against his palms, so cold he could shiver but found he already was shivering. He took a moment to build up the courage then Silver took a step once again, and then another step, and another, until he reached the very top. His shaking grew out of control as he found he was out of breath just by climbing a small staircase. Months of malnutrition and zero activity began to take their toll on him. There was no way he was going to make it to a bus stop, let alone a park. 

Tears stained Silver’s eyes as he gave up. He couldn’t do anymore, not now, not ever. Maybe he should just be a good little boy and return to his room, and stay there until he is given further instructions. 

With a shaky sigh, Silver turned around. He took a step down the stairs when he was grabbed and flipped around. Before him stood a black hedgehog. His lip busted, and a white bandage sat at the bridge of his nose, yet he remained unbothered. Red edged his quills, it matched the pupils that dug into Silver’s eyes. Silver averted his gaze in a nonverbal act of submission. The stranger still held his shoulder. He wanted it back but wouldn’t dare ask. 

“Excuse me, sir. You wouldn’t happen to know where the closest bus stop is, would you?” The gruff voice caused the grey hedgehog to wince back. He hung his head low then noticed the rocket boots on the other’s feet. The stranger noticed his sudden confusion and immediately clarified. 

“It’s for my wife’s sister. She isn’t a hedgehog like you and me, so the bitch is slower than a kid with Down syndrome,” 

Silver frowned. The joke was too far. If he didn’t have such a strong sense of justice he might’ve bit his tongue. “That’s  _ not _ funny...sir,” His brief moment of heroism was quickly snuffed out the minute he tried to make eye contact again. “I wouldn’t know where to find a bus stop. I’m actually looking for one myself,” The paranoid freak that he was, yet he foolishly revealed too much information. Silver instantly regretted it, so he tried to find a way to retract his statement. 

The stranger snickered. “Oh really? But you're a hedgehog, surely you got a little speed in those legs of yours.” He pointed at Silver’s wobbly knees, and only got a whimper as a response. “Are you okay, sir?” A black brow raised. 

Silver gulped before nodding. “I-I just don’t go out much...I r-really need to get going now. It was nice meeting you—“

“The name’s Shadow. Why don’t I come with you? You look like you need a friend,” A gloved hand extended towards him. Silver looked at it, unsure, but he shook it anyway. The fear of looking rude and offended the stranger overpowered his common sense. 

“I’ll be okay,” Silver began to walk forward. There was just one last door between him and the spring sky. 

Shadow followed closely behind him. “You said you don’t go out much, so I’m offering my services,” He lifted his fist and flexed it. “This baby is by far one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. To say I pack a powerful punch would be an understatement,”

“Then why waste your time with me?” Silver asked in a mouse whisper. His hands now clutched the door’s lever.

“Because my wife’s been nagging me about being more caring and  _ blah blah blah _ . You look familiar so I want to help you,” Shadow helped him push the door open. 

In second the morning light hit the grey hedgehog’s fur. His golden eyes blinked as the cityscape bombarded his vision. He saw so much life, so many people, so many conversations, and thoughts, emotions, desires. The sun kissed the vampire that was abandoned in a basement to rot. It hurt but also felt needed. 

“Familiar?” Silver asked after taking a long minute to adjust to the change of environment.

“Yeah. Like I’ve seen you in a video somewhere,” Shadow placed his arm around Silver’s shoulder. 

Silver froze. 

His eyes grew to pinpricks as he felt a panic attack, a very suffocating panic attack, coming. “Please leave me alone,” he cried, backing away from the stranger before making a mad dash for it. He was gone in seconds, not bothering to look over his shoulder in fear of tripping, messing up. He didn’t want to use his telepathy against someone but he would.

He would do it if he had. 

  
  


Eventually Silver stopped running. His lungs ached, his feet burned, his boots scuffed, but he was safe. 

He looked up at the sky. A flock of pigeons sat on an electrical line. They cooed at each other, buggy eyes staring off into an unknown zone, heads bobbing. His eyes then followed the white clouds floating miles in the air. They were bundles of cotton  _ nonsense.  _ He saw no distinguishing shapes of forms, just a mass. The cloud disappeared behind a large structure. In front of Silver was a large gate and inscribed in metal cursive were the words ‘ _ Union Park _ ’.

It had to be destiny—fate. He had to be here, and if he didn’t believe it before, he definitely believed it now. The universe dragged him to this very spot for a special reason, and he had to find out why. 

Silver took one last look behind him as he prayed not to find the same dark face of the stranger. There was no one he recognized, so he took a seat on the curb and tried to think. He knew he looked worse than before, he definitely felt like it, but he couldn’t face her like this. He couldn’t face anyone like this. He was supposed to save the world. 

“Silver?” 

The hedgehog shook out of his skin. He turned around again. Before him stood the friendly face of a lavender feline. Her soft feminine features spread into a smile, her purple hair was tied up, her tailcoat hugged her slim frame, her leggings doing the same. She held on to a shoulder bag, gripped it as if It were her lifeline. She looked just as unsure as Silver, just as shaken, just as scared. 

“Blaze?”

He got up. She dropped her bag.

They ran towards each other, quickly embracing and shedding tears of joy. Blaze hugged him tightly, wiping her face in the white fur on his chest. He barely touched her, but she knew why, and she loved him even more for it. “Why did you ever leave me, my prince?” She whispered into his ear. They pulled away from the embrace and Blaze rested her dome against his. Her bindi pressed into his fur, her hands ran through his quills, she smiled. 

“I’m sorry I left. I had to,” Like the crybaby that he was, Silver began to sob. Blaze wiped at his tears then she shushed him in a motherly tone.

“It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it. The past is the past, and it’s better left forgotten,” 

She was right, but that was better said than done. He couldn’t just forget or move on like she apparently did. 

Blaze took his hand into her own then led him to the nearest park bench. They sat in silence. The two watched a couple of ducks splash around in a nearby pond. A small crowd of people gathered to feed them breadcrumbs. 

“You’re so skinny. Have you been eating?” She asked before searching through her bag and pulling out a sealed container.

“I eat when I earn the luxury—“

“Please don’t say that. Please don’t, Silver.” She opened the box to reveal a tuna fish sandwich. She placed it on his lap. He simply stared at it. 

“We’re free now. You can live your life the way  _ you _ want to live it. No more rules or restrictions. No more—“ She didn’t finish, but he knew exactly what she was going to say. They both said nothing again. 

“You’re job? How is it?” Silver asked to cut the tension. Blaze smiled at him as she intertwined their fingers together. She held their hands up to her lips and kissed them. The hedgehog didn’t like to be touched, but he figured he would make the exception this one time. It had been months since they have last seen each other in person.

“It’s good,” she finally responded. “I get to help people just like you and me. Plus I’m going to school too,” 

“What do you do?” He asked before deciding he would eat. He took a bite of the sandwich. Blaze smiled. 

“I’m a dispatcher. So far I’ve only responded to petty theft, domestic disputes, and the occasional prank call. Nothing too major, but I’ve only been doing it for two months, and this is a large city with a lot of people,” The cat watched as silver scoffed down his meal. She was almost proud to see such a small improvement already. When he finished the sandwich she pulled out a baggy of blueberries from her shoulder bag. 

“I think that’s really cool. I know you’ll get the serious calls eventually,” The baggy was extended towards him and he took. There was no time wasted before he stuffed his cheeks with more, much needed, food. 

“Where do you live? I mean where are you getting the money to afford a place?” Blaze suddenly changed the subject.

Silver swallowed. “I’m using money from the donations. I still have reserves left over,” 

“Don’t lie to me, Silver. You’ve never been a good liar. Where are you  _ really _ getting the money?” Blaze had a knack for seeing right through him. It was the one thing he hated, his lack of deception when he needed it most, but maybe that is what made him a good person? A hero? The chosen one to save the future. 

“I cannot recall at the moment. Perhaps we should finish this conversation later,” The remaining blueberries were thrown down his throat, and the baggy was neatly folded and handed back to Blaze. She didn’t take it. 

Instead, the cat looked at him with eyes, once again, filled with tears. “Please don’t tell me you’re doing what I think you are to get by, because you don’t have to! You can do things the right way, and I’m...I’m a living testimony to that.” 

Silver went quiet. This conversation very quickly caused his head to hurt, and he craved to retreat back to his apartment. 

“Why don’t you come live with me? I have a nice cozy suite with a spare room. I’ll take care of you, Silver. I swear I will.” Blaze placed a hand on his thigh. He saw the genuineness in her eyes, the natural drive to help. He didn’t know if he should force her to care for him. He was an adult, and how shameful would that be? 

“I should be fine—“

“I won’t take no for an answer, and I mean that! You’re always talking about the future. You used to tell me your purpose was to save the world, and honestly, I didn’t believe it then, but I do now. I see a new future, Silver. I see a future where you’re happy and healthy, and the two of us can look back on this time and learn from it. We can see it as a stepping stone to our success.” Blaze was passionate, her words held strong meaning to him. He too craved the things she described, he just didn’t know how to get there.

“You’ll come live with me, won’t you? Please allow us the chance to be happy,” 

  
  
  


Silver sat silently, alone, with the folded baggy on his lap. The inside was stained blue from the berries it once held. He wiped his peach cheek before staring at the spot Blaze sat. It was vacant now. Her normal life needed her, and who was Silver to force her to miss it? 

Blaze was persistent in convincing him, she was always persistent, and it reminded him of the mission he had been assigned to. He lost his way a while ago, and he couldn’t just sit back and accept the failure. He couldn’t, no matter how taxing it might be on his brittle body. He didn’t think he could do it until he realized he made it outside after 7 months. 

The trees, and people, and ponds, and ducks. They were all real. Blaze was real. He could do this. 

Just as silver prepared to get up, he felt something course through his veins. It was a shiver at first until it grew to a painful icy cold. The grey hedgehog held his dome as he tried not to scream, but the migraine hit him like a tidal wave. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, at least not such a strong pull. Silver bit down on his lip as he tried to redirect the excruciating agony. He shut his eyes. 

A gust of sharp wind blew by. 

It was quick and only blew for a millisecond, but swift enough to sway his quills and knock him on his side. He held his neck from the whiplash and immediately his first thought was the stranger from earlier. Newfound enlightenment be damned, silver was prepared to beg, and do  _ whatever _ if it meant being left alone. 

Again, the black hedgehog was nowhere to be found. Instead, he saw a new hedgehog, a blue one, stretching in front of the playground. He had his back turned to Silver, but his face was clearly towards the playing children. It would be innocent if Silver didn’t realize that painful feeling was radiating from the blue blur.

Then he was brought back to a place. A place he often resided inside his tattered mind, but rather than the self-pity and fear he often felt, he felt a different emotion. He felt enraged. 

This had to be the reason, and he knew it wasn’t for Blaze. 

Silver got up. He ran a hand through his quills in a vain attempt to not look like a homeless crazy guy. Then he approached. Very silently. This hedgehog didn’t seem to notice, being far too caught up in his perverted gawking. 

“Getting your cardio in too, huh?” Silver joined the stretching exercise. The thin skin over his rib cage exposed the shape of the bone the more he did a shoulder stretch. It appeared painful to the average eye but went unnoticed to the telepath. 

The stranger only gave him a brief look, before he smirked, then looked down at a note in his wrapped hands, then back at Silver. “I assume you’re  _ me _ ?” He asked. 

Silver stood there confused. “You?” 

“Didja write the note, smartypants?” The guy just radiated smugness. His poise was confident, back straight, head held high, eyes without a waver. It greatly contrasted with Silver's cowardly posture. 

“I..I did not,” The grey hedgehog stuttered.

The stranger shook his head in disappointment. “Dammit! That asshole knows how much I hate wasting time,” His voice and facial expression showed one of a slight, but playful, annoyances His eyes said something more serious. The stranger then went quiet, perhaps lost in thought. 

“Those kids...those kids sure are cute,” Silver attempted to make use of the silence to get in the guy’s head, and force him to admit his guilt. He couldn’t just go off a hunch before he carried out justice, he needed stone-cold evidence.

The only response he got was a raised eyebrow. “Hey man, I really gotta bug I gotta squash, so I’ll catch ya on the flip side? Maybe,” A few playful jabs were thrown his away before a sturdy hand gripped Silver’s shoulder. 

“I can understand that, but just in case we do meet again can I get your name?” Silver winced from the grip. The added weight didn’t help his wobbling either. 

The stranger shoved the piece of paper in Silver’s hands before pulling away and jogging a few steps ahead. “I’m world known, baby! If you don’t know who I am, well I can’t fix your bad case of stupid.” A wink and a half-assed wave later, and the speedster was gone with the wind. The only thing that remained were skid marks and a dust cloud. 

Silver watched him go. Suddenly that feeling, that awful migraine, was gone. Maybe he did only have a hunch, but he would be a fool not to follow it. If the blue stranger was world-known then that just solved his mission. It was how he was to save the world. It was how he was to prevent more people from turning into another him. 

That guy had to be stopped and he would be the one to do it. 

Unraveling the note in his grey hands, he read it aloud: 

_ Meet me n knuckles @ Union Park.  _

_ 11:30am _

_ Don’t be late! _


	5. The Cake

There it was. There his two story Victorian townhouse stood in all its well kept glory. Sonia made sure of that. The inside might be a borderline hoard, but the outside was pure eye candy. With its white picket fence, manicured rose bushes, and fresh coat of robin egg blue. It went nicely with the small suburban-urban neighborhood right near Empire City’s spice district. On paper it was a dream house, on paper it was pretty fancy, but he was never one to care for fancy. For him the place only looked so nice to keep up with the Joneses. The illusion of grandeur without actually being grandeur. 

His sister loved it, so he begrudgingly called it home. 

Sonic scoffed. The hip-level gate creaked when it swung open. A few steps forward and he went off the concrete path. His red sneakers kicked at the pink flamingos decorating their lawn. The previous night’s rain left the grass mucky and damp. A very muddy footprint molded around his shoes, they sloshed and squirmed around in the sludge, and made by far the wettest sound he’s heard from grass. The sound was so wet he wanted to hear it again. 

Sonic jumped up and splashed in the mud. The ground quickly formed a chocolate puddle, suddenly he strived to make it bigger, messier, dirtier. He quickly got lost in the moment. It was like he was a child again, with no care in the world beyond what was fun. His blue fur stained brown as he kicked up at the grass—

“What are you doing to my lawn, you big doofus?! I swear to god I’ll make you spend the whole day tomorrow fixing it if you don’t stop this instant!” A magenta hedgehog looked at him with sturn eyes, crossed arms, and a cigarette between her manicured fingers. She wore nothing but a satin robe, and she wasn’t even wearing that properly. Sonic could see the pink of her nipples peeking through its low hanging collar.

“Don’t yell at me when you’re standing there half naked for the whole neighborhood to gawk at!” Sonic screamed back while shaking the mud off his shoes. His sister tugged on her robe before rolling her eyes.

“I just got out the shower—“

“I’m sure you did.” His tone was sarcastic and he could tell by the look on her face she didn’t like it. Not that he cared. 

Sonia took a drag of her cigarette before she stomped off the porch and got in her brother’s face. “What’s that supposed to mean, Sonic? Where were you yesterday, and what the hell happened to your hand?” 

The mention of his damaged appendages caused the hedgehog to glance at them. He simply shrugged. Right now wasn’t the time to talk about his whereabouts, not that it was ever her business. “What are you? My mother?” 

Sonia blocked his path to the front door. 

“I sure do feel like it sometimes! I mean look at you! You’re out here playing in my goddamn grass like a little kid!” The smoker's breath blew in his face giving him the full whiff of what she ate and the tequilas she guzzled down before her explosion. Her nagging had always been insufferable. 

Sonic massaged his dome. “I’m honestly not in the mood for your yapping. How about we make a rain check and I’ll see about getting back at ya,” 

“I’m not joking! I thought you kicked the bucket yesterday, and you haven’t been answering anyone’s calls—my calls—and since when did you bail on a party?” It was then he noticed the mascara trail running down her cheeks. Sonic continued to smile, but only to prevent himself from frowning. He was reminded all too well of the video, and it made him want to shake her and demand to know what the hell was going on in that mind of hers. Why would she resort to such a level of degradation on her birthday no less? He leaves for a few weeks and already she’s screwing herself over. 

That thought just enraged him. He was so very mad, but not at her. It was almost too obvious why she did the things that she did. Sonia could be a bitch, but she was also a bleeding heart, especially for family. 

“I just want to go inside. It’s pretty chilly out here and it’s making my quills stiff. You don’t understand how unflattering that is, I mean maybe you do considering you’re always ice cold.” He adjusted her robe, snatched the cigarette from her hands, and put it out. “Let’s not develope anymore bad habits, okay?” 

Sonia let him take it. She got out of the way and followed him inside.

The minute the door shut behind him was the minute he noticed how dark the hallways were. The outline of picture frames hung from the walls, several pairs of shoes piled near the door, an end table sat with mail and other useless knick knacks scattered on top. Off lights, and a crumpled carpet, led to the bright kitchen. Sonic confidently strolled towards it. He never had a care in the world. Hell, who would when he had so much power?

Sonia grabbed his arm.

“I can see the look on your face, and just..please don’t go bonkers,” She begged.

That just made him more suspicious. More mad. 

“Not to worry, sis. If there’s nothing to send me off the deep end then there’s nothing to worry about,” Sonic assured her before continuing forward. He passed the entryway and found his brother sitting at the table with a plate of cake in front of him. He didn’t touch his food, instead he counted cash and wiped at his nose. 

“Well look what the cat dragged in,” Manic spoke through a cigarette. He didn’t bother to properly look at Sonic. He simply continued to count.

The blue hedgehog sauntered over to a cabinet and grabbed a plate. The box holding the cake sat next to Manic’s pile of money. “Why’d you send that note then bail on me?” Sonic pulled up a chair. He turned it on its back, sat down, and rested his chest against the backrest. 

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, but what the hell happened to your manners? I don’t get a hello?” Manic blew smoke from his nose. 

Sonic only gave him a taunting look, scrunching up his nose and shaking his head, before he reached for the cake. Manic sliced him on the back of the hand. “I don’t think so, Maurice. Only party attendees get cake,” He sniffed. Sonic pulled away. There was a note on the box that said just that, and his brother made sure to tap on it with the knife. 

The two made deadly eye contact for a long, intense, minute. Sonia didn’t dare enter the kitchen as she waited by the entrance almost hiding behind the arch for protection from the inevitable clash.

“You should know cutting me is a no-go, little bro. Where’d you get all this money anyway? I hope to god you stole it,” There wasn’t much laughter in Sonic’s voice. The shallow gash in his arm barely bled, but it stun worse than a paper cut. 

Manic smirked. “Sonia has been very helpful lately—“ 

Sonic could excuse his attitude, or the cutting, or even his nonchalance yesterday, but he couldn’t excuse Manic hurting his sister. Those who picked on the weak just got on his pissing nerves. 

His brother was grabbed by the collar of his vest and lifted out of his seat. Sonic pulled him close to his mug, and damn near growled at him, yet Manic didn’t stop smiling. He sniffed again. 

“Didja pimp my sister out, huh? Didja make her do it?” Sonic shook him as he spat in his face. If the asshole didn’t stop grinning soon he would have the life choked out of him. 

“It was her idea,” Manic shrugged. He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, like throwing their own blood to the wolves was nothing. They were more than just blood, they were triplets, they shared the same womb for 9 months, and this is how he treated Sonia? 

For the second time in 24 hours, Sonic lost it. He slammed Manic against the wall, punching him in the gut over and over again. His emerald brother retaliated by throwing a few jabs at the side of his head, then his back, then he stabbed two pointed thumbs into Sonic’s sockets in which Sonic screamed. Manic was dropped as Sonic held his eyes. The chair he once sat on was picked up and slammed at the back of his head. If Sonic hadn’t been made for fighting it would’ve knocked him out, but instead he fell to his knees, briefly, before getting back up and tackling Manic to the floor. He punched him right in the face. It was far heavier than with Shadow. Manic was down after a few blows. 

“Sonic! Stop!” 

He kept punching, and when Sonia tugged at him, then pulled him off, he graduated to kicking. 

“He’s down already! Just stop!” His sister cried as she threw her body over Manic. 

“You’re defending him?!” He backed up with his fists still clenched, his wrappings once again stained with blood. 

“He’s as much of my brother as you are,” Sonia cried. 

“Don’t compare me to him! I would  _ never  _ force you to sell yourself—!”

“Stop saying it like that! I wasn’t forced to do anything, Sonic! Do you think everyone has the luxury of disappearing for weeks on end to ‘ _ save the world’?!”  _ She held up quotation marks with her fingers. “There’s bills to be paid, mouths to feed, things I want! Like this house! Do you think the lights just stay on because we ask them nicely?! No! I have to take care of it all by myself,” Sonia started to tear up. “And this is an expensive city that  _ you  _ forced us to move to,”

“I forced no one to do a thing,” Sonic paced around the kitchen. 

“You know that’s not true, Sonic! The minute you up and leave everyone has to follow, and you dragged us along for the ride. This is just the consequences for your actions,” Sonia wiped at her eyes. He couldn’t bear to see his sister so upset. Why did she have to go and ruin things with that video?

“Maybe next time you can stop fucking around like a little boy and get a job so Sonia won’t have to fuck four guys on camera. We’re 18 now, Maurice. It’s time to grow up,” Manic grinned through a bloody jaw, he weakly lifted his head to demonstrate to Sonic that despite his beat down, he still won. 

The taunting, the talk, the whole situation was far too much. Sonic didn’t want to deal with this. His adulthood should be carefree and easy, not whatever was unfolding in front of him now. He felt like he'd lost the grip on his life, and it was unfathomable how frustrating that was. Sonic let out an enraged roar before he slammed his fist against the kitchen tile. It cracked, and his bandages went undone.

Then he stormed out.

“That’s it, Maurice! Run away like you always do!” Manic yelled after him. Sonia shot him a look before she got up to follow Sonic to his room. 

In a furious flash, he was stuffing his valuable possessions into a duffle bag, and grumbling under his breath.

“Where are you going?” She whispered as she stood in his doorway watching him. 

Sonic continued his grumbling as he ignored her. There was nothing else he wanted to say. 

“You know Manic doesn’t mean it. He’s been feeling sick lately,” There she goes again with the excuses. Sonic was done hearing it. He was done turning a blind eye to his brother’s  _ sickness _ while he did whatever the hell he wanted. 

Sonic zipped up his duffle bag and threw it over his back. He grabbed a second pair of his sneakers, when Sonia grabbed his hand. 

“You can’t leave! Where are you going to go?” 

“I don’t think you know who you’re talking to, toots. It ain’t hard for me to find a new spot to lay my head,” Sonic pulled his hand from her grip. 

“You can’t do that! You can’t! You can’t!” Sonia threw a tantrum as she tugged, and pulled, and hit Sonic in an attempt to get it through his thick skull that he couldn’t abandon her. They were triplets for life, and he knew that, but he also needed his space. The toxicity was fogging up his judgement, and he couldn’t have that. 

“Sonia stop,” He tried to go around his sister, but just like before, she was relentless. 

“I won’t let you leave us—!” 

So Sonic pushed her, and he instantly regretted it. 

His sister fell back and landed on her bum, the satin robe covering her body unraveled to reveal a plethora of dark bruises on her thighs and stomach. Sonia rubbed her head, totally unaware that Sonic saw everything until the two made eye contact. Then as if she were shocked with an electric baton, she jumped, then quickly covered herself.

“You’re gonna quit porn and you’re gonna do it now,” the landline next to his bed was snatched as he shoved it over at his sister. “Call whoever you need to call—“

“No!” Sonia smacked the phone out of his hands. The plastic device hit the wall and shattered. “If I do that we lose the house and Manic gets worse!” 

“Then I’m gone,” The blue hedgehog stepped over his sister’s body as he jogged down the stairs. He gave a passing glance at the kitchen. Manic stood there, sniffing, with the plate of cake in his hands. His eyes were glued on Sonic even when he opened the front door and stomped out. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t wave goodbye.

Sonic kicked a pink Flamingo. He caused it to fly into the night sky, then crash land in the dark street. Its head snapped from its body. It’s soulless eyes gazing at the oncoming headlights.

Sonic ran.

“Wait! Dammit, you bastard! Don’t go!” Sonia dashed out of the house, screaming at the top of her lungs. She cried as she saw the blue blur of her brother, gone, in the distance. 

“Dang,” the swear was uttered under a frustrated breath. His hands gripped the base of the tree as he tried to climb it slowly. He didn’t exactly get very far. 

Hedgehogs weren’t made for climbing after all. 

The birthday gifts still hung from a branch, and some asshole moved the box he used as leverage originally. Sonic knew not to take them home until the coast was clear, especially the photo album, so he came up with the genius idea to hide them near a highway. Who looks at trees near highways anyway? No one. Absolutely no one. 

But what good were gifts if he couldn’t get to them?

A lightbulb clicked on in his head. He backed away from the tree, really gave himself some distance, before flexing his biceps. He eyed his destination, envisioned his ultimate goal, and went for it. Sonic jogged, then sprinted, then broke out into a full blown dash before he formed into a cobalt ball and sliced through the tree. The large flora came tumbling down and his gifts along with it. He managed to catch the machine and photo album before they impacted the ground. 

What a small victory for a shitty day. Regardless, he smiled and praised himself. He did deserve it. The celebration was short lived though. He had somewhere to be, or at least  _ appear  _ like he had somewhere to be. 

The hedgehog walked along the highway, the duffle bag on his back, the photo album sticking out of it, and the chilly dog machine stuffed under his armpit. He didn’t bother running. He simply didn’t care to. Eventually he also didn’t care to walk either, so he stopped and took a seat on top of his machine.

Sonic held his head in his palms. The sound of the cars rushing by filled his mind. A semi honked here, a mini van swirled there, he felt it all beneath his feet. The headlights illuminated an otherwise dark road, but standing off to the side, Sonic was covered in shadow. 

“I never took you for a cutter. Guess that saying is true. You really do learn something new everyday,” A raspy voice broke his silent thinking—again. It pointed at the slash on the hedgehog’s hand.

Sonic looked up with a cocky grin. “You don’t make much of an entrance, huh? Faker,” 

“You’re the Faker, and apparently a drifter too,” Shadow kicked the machine beneath Sonic. 

His rival simply scoffed. “You wish. I’m just taking a midnight stroll,”

“Yeah? With your belongings?” His dark counterpart crossed his arms as he looked down at him. 

All these questions, and here Sonic thought the guy didn’t like him. “I know we had a little bounding moment yesterday, so I’m not surprised you got attached to my gorgeous face, but stalking? You and I both know that’s no good” Sonic winked as he wagged his finger at Shadow. 

Shadow chuckled. “Stalking is my pastime, you rat, but I’m not here for that,” 

“You’re here to kidnap me?” Sonic joked. 

Shadow stopped laughing. 

“I’m here because I need a roommate and you need somewhere to stay,” 

“Thanks but no thanks. I have a friend’s list a mile long, and would much rather stay with one of them than a grouch.” He stretched his blue arms over his head. 

“You owe me, Sonic—“

Shadow was quickly cut off as Sonic shook his head in disbelief. “Owe you? Did I accidentally eat your packed lunch, or are you smoking crack?” 

Shadow hooked a finger to his bottom lip and pulled which revealed an empty slot where his left lower canine used to be. Sonic simply responded with a smile of his own to show off his complete set of teeth. 

“Tough luck, buddy, but you made me hit ya. You can’t hold me responsible after the fact,” 

“Well I do. So what is it gonna be?” Shadow was persistent like an alleyway creeper. Sonic didn’t know if he liked this side of him. 

“If you want to know so badly, I’m gonna tell you to go screw yourself then call knuckles, ask him why he stood me up today, then crash on his couch.” Sonic got up and placed his duffle bag back on his back. 

Shadow reached into it and snatched his photo album. 

“Oh really? Well I guess this will have to pay that debt off then,” Shadow mimicked Sonic’s obnoxious smirk as he tossed the book into the air. 

Sonic’s grin dropped. He tried to snatch his album back. Shadow shoved a hand in his face preventing Sonic from getting closer. 

“Give that back, Faker! Before a rearrange your face again,” Sonic growled. 

Shadow tapped the bandage on his nose before his grin grew wider. “No.” He taunted then took off at the speed of sound. 

Another thing to ruin Sonic’s day.

If he didn’t care for his naughty pictures he wouldn’t even bother with Shadow, but they  _ were _ naughty pictures of Tails no less. There was no way he was leaving that in the hands of his rival. 

So Sonic made chase. 


	6. The Address

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again.
> 
> It seems I forgot to mention the wacky age differences in this story. Some may wonder why Tails is still 8 while Sonic is 18. The simple answer?
> 
> Aging is altered to fit the plot.
> 
> Some characters are far older than their canon self, and some are younger. Some are unaltered. Just depends.
> 
> Anyway, on with the story. :)

“This door usually gives me a lot of trouble,” 

Lights were everywhere; dangling from the ceiling, in the parking lot, decorating the skyline. Silver stood mesmerized by the sight. His head poked out the third floor’s outdoor hallway. The new environment was enticing. 

Blaze fiddled with her lock, cursing as she tried to get the key to fully turn. “This is super embarrassing,” She nervously giggled under her breath. The tailcoat on her shoulders swayed like the tail end of a racket hummingbird. Back and forth, back and forth, then it stopped when she let out a crabbed grunt. 

Silver watched her struggle for a few seconds. It would feel out of place if he bulldozed his way inside just to get it over with. They were standing out here for a couple of minutes, but alas, he refused to be rude. It simply wasn’t his way of life. The hedgehog cleared his throat. “Perhaps I can help?” He offered. 

Blaze nodded, then got out of his way.

Dropping his bags, he warmed his hands. Rather than turning the key like a normal person, he held out his palm just inches away from the lock and telepathically got it to turn. There was a brief push back from whatever was preventing a simple key rotation, but that wasn’t something a little force couldn’t solve. He stood victorious, and somehow managed not to snap anything in two. 

Before he could touch the knob, the door swung open. 

“Oh thank god it’s just you, Blaze!” What stood before him was a bat woman with a seductive gaze and a skimpy lace nightgown to match. Her nipples poked through the fabric, blue eyeshadow highlighting her doe shaped sockets, lips slightly puckered before she smiled. Despite addressing Blaze she had her sights all over Silver. 

He refused to look at her. 

“I didn’t know you had a date,” The bat bit her bottom lip. 

“I don’t. I sent you a text earlier about my friend,” Blaze tried to explain as she gripped her shoulder bag. Blush warmed her cheeks at the mention of a date. 

The bat looked Silver up and down. She practically purred. “Oh yes! You did say a childhood companion was coming, but I was expecting someone more... _ female _ ,” 

“I know, but Silver won’t be a bother. Oh! Um..Silver this is Rouge, Rouge this is Silver,” The feline held out a hand towards the two as she said each name. 

“Hello.” Silver said quickly, his eyes on the doorframe. 

“Hi,” Rouge waved back. 

There was a moment of awkward silence. The bat studied Silver, and Silver studied the wall. Eventually, and fortunately, Blaze broke the tension by clapping her hands.

“We should get inside, and I can show you your room,” She bent down to pick up his bags when he stopped her. As the gentleman that he was he wouldn’t feel comfortable having a lady carry his luggage. The bags glew a neon blue as they levitated inches off the ground. 

He felt light headed. Silver held his dome in pain. The bags fell. He staggered back. 

Blaze caught him and placed him against the balcony bars. “Are you okay? Do you need some water?” She looked at her concerned friend who got the memo to fetch a glass. Rouge disappeared inside the apartment. 

“I’m very worn out. I should’ve known better than to try that at my current state. Stupid boy,” Silver scolded himself. His face was hot with embarrassment.

Blaze shook her head. “Don’t say that. You and I both know that’s not true,” Rouge returned with the glass of water and handed it to Silver.

“Thank you,” He still refused to look at her. Something about her demeanor reminded him all too well of the people in his past life. He couldn’t bear to recall it. It just made his headache worse. 

“I think getting him on the couch would be much more comfy than a concrete floor,” Her roommate suggested and Blaze agreed. 

“Do you think you’ll be able to make it to the living room?” The bat bent over and placed her hands on her knees. He could see her cleavage on full display. Silver didn’t respond and simply got up. He hated the baby treatment he was currently receiving but again, he refused to be rude. The light-headedness tripled, but the telepath managed to make it past the door. 

Blaze grabbed his bags and slumped them against the wall, she then ushered Silver further inside. 

The apartment was a nice, cozy, little living space. It had a lot of vintage refurbished furniture, and many adorable decor. The couch was large and white, and on top sat far too many pillows than necessary. Silver plopped on top of it and almost melted through the cushions from how soft it felt. The saying,  _ sleeping on a cloud,  _ perfectly described the sensation. 

“I’ll get your room set up, okay? I know today has been a lot, and I thank you for being so patient to wait for me this afternoon,” Blaze gripped the cup of water she took from him, as she watched Silver like a mother cat would her kittens. A hand went over her stomach. The smile she once wore, fell. 

Silver quickly spoke, if not to distract her thoughts, than to distract himself. “Of course. I thank you for.. _ this,”  _ He pointed all around the living room. Her gold pupils met his. There was an accepting nod. 

“Don’t mention it,” with one last long glance, Blaze scurried off to his new room. 

Silver reclined back on the couch, his mind filled with new memories, ones he often didn’t think about. There was no way he was going to start now. 

So he scanned the room instead.

He noticed the many pictures of Blaze and Rouge, and wondered how long they had been friends, or even where they met. Before a few months ago, Silver was all Blaze had, and vice versa. His eyes landed on the coffee table by his feet, and he spotted a black collar with a bell. 

He picked it up. It jingled. He dropped it. 

“So how long have you and Blaze known each other?” As if having the ability to read minds, the bat woman asked as she strolled into the living room. There was a moment of her simply standing near the coffee table before she took a seat in the armchair parallel to him. Her gaze was always studying, always watching as if analyzing her prey. 

Again, Silver refused to look at her.

“Since birth, I’m sure. We were both sent from the future—“

“The future?” Rouge questioned with a raised eyebrow, head tilting in an attempt to hear him better.

“Yes. It’s a bit confusing, so I won’t go into it,” There was then more silence. Silver noticed the indents on the ceiling, the muffled shapes they made, but like clouds he couldn’t quite make out distinctive forms. It was simply a clutter of confusion. 

“You know, Blaze has told me a lot about her childhood, and about what happened to the two of you. I can only dream of being half the woman that girl is. I respect her massively, and I respect you too for what you did for her,” Rouge crossed her legs. She didn’t once remove her gaze from Silver. 

He felt light-headed all over again, but this time for a different reason. “I much rather not talk about it,” The sentence came out as a tired whisper. 

“I can understand that. I apologize if I stepped on any toes. I feel like I might be offending you,” 

Silver said nothing again. She  _ was _ offending him with that dress, and the gawking, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to upset her or Blaze, they were both being so nice after all. He swallowed, though found his mouth was far too dry to produce saliva. 

“It’s alright. Do you think you can get me another glass of water?” He requested, and she complied. 

Rouge got up. Her short dress scrunched up between her thighs, spaghetti straps slid off her shoulders, black panties briefly flashed as she turned to leave. Silver tried not to look. She was gone and he was alone, yet his vision stayed focused on the light fixture. He heard the faucet, the clink of a dish, and then silence. 

The wind blew through lace curtains. A fresh breeze danced around the living room, pages to an open book flipped as if turned by a sporadic ghost, Silver’s quills wavered just as much as his thoughts. The apartment was quiet. There was no ambiance of traffic, or scattered footsteps, or even the occasional sound of loud music. It was peaceful, yet he couldn’t tell if he missed the city’s chaos, or the view from his basement. Underground, away from the watchful eyes, excluded from a society he never belonged to. Like always. He wasn’t a boy who deserved a normal life.

He didn’t know what he deserved. 

“Here you go,” white gloves clutched a glass of icy water. Silver looked down to take it. Ice cubes jiggled and so did Rouge’s breast. Their hands brushed. Rouge got close to his face. Her lace dress flimsily covered her half naked body. A finger trailed up Silver’s thigh. Her lips got close to his as they curled into a succubus smile. 

“Have you ever had sex with a willing woman?” She whispered, blowing on his nose. A hand landed right on his crotch. 

Silver spazzed out. 

A swift kick pushed Rouge back. She flew into the coffee table as the glass fell and shattered.

“What the hell, man?!” The bat held her sore spine. Her dress hiked up during the fall, this only triggered Silver more. He scrambled to get as far away from her as possible, which caused him to back up and fall off the couch. The hedgehog scooted to the far wall, holding himself. 

Rouge watched with pure disbelief.

Blaze ran into the room after being alerted by all the noise. She looked at her roommate than Silver, before helping Rouge up. “What happened?” The cat asked while fixing her roommate's dress. 

“Your friend and I were having a little conversation, and it got a bit heated. Nothing to worry about,” Rouge lied. She never took her eyes off Silver, and he could feel it. 

The shattered glass laid between the two. Rouge picked up a shard. 

“I’m gonna head to bed. It was nice meeting you,” There was no point in waiting for Silver’s reply. It was obvious he wasn’t going to give one, so slowly walking out of the living room. Blaze watched her go. 

“Good night,” The words were soft and friendly. The cat appeared unaware of what took place, or perhaps purposely ignorant. Blaze approached Silver’s shaking form. She squatted down to get at eye level. He didn’t look at her, he simply rocked with his lids shut. 

“Hey, it’s alright. I know this place is new and scary, but you’re safe. I promise,” Blaze assured him in that same motherly tone. 

Silver stopped shaking. In a half ditched attempt to repair his dignity he sat up. “You told me you lived alone,”

“I never told you that. I only claimed to have a spare room,”

“But you never mentioned a roommate. If I would’ve known about  _ her _ I would never bother to come,” he pointed at the hallway. Blaze frowned. 

“She’s my friend, Silver. Rouge has been there for me when I lost…” There was a painful pause. “...and when I had no one, you know, since you ran away,” The feline tried to keep her voice down. “I have a job because of her, so please don’t talk about her like that.” Blaze had a waver in her tone. 

Silver relaxed his tense shoulders. “I don’t mean to cause trouble. I apologize for overreacting,” He suddenly felt like an asshole. 

Blaze grabbed his paws and cradled them. “I’m sorry too. I should’ve told you, and I feel so guilty about… about lying to you,”

“You didn’t lie,”

“I did. I lied by omission, and maybe it’s because I feared your rejection. I spent so many sleepless nights trying to find you—wondering if you left me for good. I had nightmares of seeing you in a casket, so I felt like if I could at least…” She wiped her eyes. A smile telling him how frustrated she was with all the waterworks, but she couldn’t help it. 

Silver squeezed her hand back. To know his disappearance hurt her greatly made him really want to reconsider a few things. He took in a deep breath before pulling out the note from his boot. 

“I won’t leave again, not until I catch this guy. I received a message by fate—my mission I should say. I finally got it.” He attempted to word his thoughts in a meaningful way, or at least so he didn’t sound crazy. He handed the paper to Blaze. She read it. 

“Oh.” She started, deflating a bit. “Your mission shouldn’t be chasing anyone, but getting your life in order. Remember?” Blaze tried to redirect his attention to a  _ normal life.  _ He couldn’t have a normal life until he carried out his duties. 

“No. All of that can wait until after I get this guy. He’s just like them, and I could feel it. It wouldn’t be right if I allowed him to run amuck and hurt more people,” 

“Are you talking about Knuckles? Rouge and I met him recently, and I don’t think he’s like that,” 

“Not him. It was another hedgehog, blue, but if you know Knuckles that’s great. I have to talk to him,”

“Yeah, he owns a gym downtown. I’m not really the type to work out but Rouge loves to. Especially since there’s so many muscular men,” Blaze giggled. “I wonder if we can find a fun hobby for you, Silver? Maybe we can find a few poetry spots to sit and listen to spoken word. I know how much you like—“

“Blaze, I need to stay on task. A pedophile is out there, and I know he’s about to do something very,  _ very,  _ awful,” Silver squeezed her hand again, this time tighter. 

Blaze snatched them away before pulling out a phone from her tailcoat. “Then we need to call the police. Trust me, as a dispatcher I can assure you that they can handle this better than you can, Silver,”

“No. I don’t have any evidence yet, so what good will that do?”

“Then how do you know this guy is a pedophile? I think this is a projection from...from trauma, and that’s okay. I was very wary of people too, but therapy was able to help a bunch. It’s still helping. We can get you a therapist and they can help you figure this out too,” 

“Can I get the address to the gym?” Silver brushed off everything she said. Obviously Blaze didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. 

“Silver. No, I'm not going to encourage this.” Blaze got up and ran a hand through her fur. “Your room is ready. Please try to get some sleep,” Taking her fur down from its red hair band, the cat walked out of the living room. The conversation ended there. 

Silver sighed. He couldn’t help but feel like he messed up—upset Blaze, but it was all for the sake of saving a child. This had to be done.

He got up. 

Silver was never shown where his room was so this would be a matter of trial and error to find it. Slowly, he stepped through the hallway. There were five doors layouted very similarly to his old apartment. Two on the left, two on the right, and one at the end. He saw a faint light illuminate beneath the far left door along with the sound of running water. Obviously it was a bathroom. The door on the right next to him was slightly cracked open. Peeking inside he noticed it was a linen closet. 

That left three more doors.

Sweating, he tried the door parallel to the closet, and prayed it would be empty. It wasn’t. Instead a bat woman stood before him with the same devious smile. Her face was covered in green clay and her lids devoid of blue makeup.

“Sorry,” Silver quickly turned to leave when she grabbed his arm. 

“Knuckles’ gym is at 1523 Patterson Blvd. It’s a large stone building, you won’t miss it. He will be there from 2 pm to closing. Ask him about the blue hedgehog, he’ll definitely know,” Rouge let him go before she slowly shut her door, the whole time staring at him seductively. 

Silver stood there, shaking. His hand stung as if it were burned by an iron. He knew it was all in his head, but it didn’t stop the feeling. He gasped before stumbling to the next door and shutting it behind him. 

It was dark. Empty. His body slid down the wall as he curled into the fetus position. 

There was no point in turning around to know he lucked out, it was the office-turned guest room. Silver closed his eyes. 

Physical touch was painful, mentally. It was the thought of knowing what could come from it, what he was capable of, what he was forced to do, and what he did on his own accord. To touch was to defile, and he wouldn’t allow it to ruin his purity again. 

Especially from a person like Rouge.

He wanted to curl up and never leave the room. He wanted to rot away, but knew he couldn’t. Not when he got his next lead, and not when he had a pedophile to stop. 

  
  
  



	7. The Black Book

For the first time in his life, Sonic was out of breath. He gasped for air as his lungs worked overtime to transfer oxygen. The mini workers in his body tried to make sense of the feeling of  _ exhaustion _ . It just wasn’t a thing the hero experienced, especially from a sprint. The guy lived for speed, so what an embarrassment to be outed by it. His mind was damn near malfunctioning from the strange phenomenon, but Sonic stayed on his feet, a smug grin wavered, hands rested on his knees. He coughed up flem from his throat. The sight of it disgusted him. The heavy inhales disgusted him. This whole situation disgusted him. His gift and duffle bag dropped to the floor. Breaking the machine was the least of his worries at the moment. 

Sonic could shout in a rage if he wasn’t so tired. His body told him to faint, but he couldn’t when his rival was standing a few feet ahead of him. 

Shadow had his back turned overlooking the skyline. The breeze blew between their fur. The night sky, devoid of stars, above them. The sound of city life muffled from the height. A black lookalike stood just at the edge of the roof, and if Sonic was a little more nefarious he would’ve pushed the prick to a quick demise. 

The album sat grasped in white gloves held behind the black hedgehog’s back. It tainted him, begged to be snatched and returned to the safety of Sonic’s side. He heard the call and he wanted to answer it. Despite that, the speedster had a difficult time keeping his head in the game, and therefore not keeping up with Shadow. He chased him for an hour, and yet he was about to pass out and his rival stood unfazed. 

Maybe that pissed him off more than the book. 

“Are you ready to put your dickwad ways behind you and hand over what’s mine?” Sonic wiped his bruised hand against his moist cheek. He stared daggers into Shadow’s back. Shadow said nothing. 

“C’mon, asshole! I’m done playing games—!”

“This isn’t a game.” A spiked head turned to look at him. Red pupils stared into his soul as they counteracted the daggers that Sonic currently threw. Thick tension formed between the two. 

“Oh yeah? Then hand me back my book so I can be on my way,” Sonic stomped towards him, sweat dripped from his forehead, as he grabbed Shadow by his white chest fur. Again, his rival stood unfazed. 

The book was held towards Sonic, he tried to take it, and Shadow snatched it away. The cobalt hero growled before he pulled him in closer. “I’m seconds away from pummeling you in the concrete!” A dry bark left his tired lips. 

After he scoffed, Shadow grabbed him by the shoulders, a small debate going on in that mysterious head of his, before he shoved him. Sonic stumbled back. Shadow dusted himself off then opened the photo album. “Let’s see what you have here,” He kept eye contact. Sonic charged at the book. Shadow leaped into the air and flipped above Sonic’s head before he gracefully landed behind him. “Not at your A-game, are we, Faker?” His rival teased. 

No. He definitely wasn’t. It was the blend of stress, hunger, and flat out drowsiness that quickly took its toll on him. Somehow Shadow knew this all too well. Sonic’s been in plenty of high stress situations, yet the past day had wiped the floor with him better than any robot-making fat man could. Regardless, Sonic wore a smile through it all. He reminded himself there was nothing to get so choked up about, especially for the grouch.

So he traded in bared teeth for a cheesy smile.

“Hey! That’s my line,  _ Mr. Faker _ . If you’re going to go through my things at least ask politely,” His demeanor did a 180. The hedgehog’s shoulders slumped as he let out all the tension. He stood in a cocky fashion, tapped the tip of his red sneakers on the ground to get the dirt off. He waited for Shadow to ask. 

Of course he didn’t. 

Shadow simply shot him a glare before he flipped through the pages. Flip, and flip, and flip, he took his time to draw it out, add in the shame, the embarrassment, yet Sonic showed none of it. He lifted his wrist as if to check the time on an imaginary watch. A very loud and obnoxious sigh escaped him. “Man, for a guy who can  _ almost  _ run at the speed of sound you sure do take a while,”

“Yet I’m still faster than you,”

“I just haven’t eaten my veggies today, but don’t worry. After I crash at Knux I can give you that rematch. I’ll even let you have a head start again,” 

“No excuses, dumbass,”

“You cheated anyway. I mean I obviously can’t slither into the shadows and pop up wherever I want like  _ somebody _ , so technically I still win,” The grin on Sonic’s face grew wider. 

Quick silence followed as the page turning continued. 

Shadow closed the book. “Are you a fag or something?” He asked plainly, monotone. They had a stare off, neither one of them daring to break it. 

“And what if I am? Guess I wouldn't make a good roommate,” Sonic shrugged.

“So that’s the excuse you’re sticking with,” 

“Excuse? I don’t gotta lie to you, baby doll. If I’m gay, I’m gay,” A wink and kiss was blown his rival’s way. The black hedgehog’s expression remained flat. Sonic suddenly missed his signature scowl. 

“Well. Here, just so we’re even,” A small black book was pulled out of Shadow’s quills and tossed at Sonic. The speedster caught it and swore as he pricked his injured finger on a loose spike. The cover was indented and torn from it’s less than ideal storage arrangements. 

“What is this? Your diary?” Sonic asked before shoving his bleeding finger in his mouth. He got no response, so he proceeded to open the cover and scan the page. 

Names. There were simply names, and dates, and descriptions, and photos—photos of unbeknownst women, both human and Mobian, going about their day. As he scanned further he found a  _ to-do  _ list with questionable actions numbered, some circled, others blacked out. “Duct tape hands to feet. Potato sacks and coffins. Get a large dog involved. Use knife as threat— Is this your torture list? Sounds pretty edgy,” Sonic closed the book. The shock factor wouldn’t work on him. Anyone could watch the latest slasher flick and find something equally as goofy and over the top. He shook his head almost disappointed at the grouch’s lack of creativity. 

“You don’t appear to be taking it seriously,” Shadow got closer, Sonic’s photo album still in his paws. 

“No, of course not. Do you want me to take your  _ school shooter _ drivel seriously? Because I’m a pretty good actor and I can pretend for ya,” Sonic also got closer. 

“You should. I will eventually succumb to my desires, Sonic. It’s only a matter of time—“

“Sounds spooky. Anyway, you gonna give me that book back?” Sonic brushed off his brewing speech. The thought of having to deal with someone else’s problems on top of his own was not ideal. Not that Shadow was serious. It was too blatantly obvious he was doing this to get a reaction out of him, well Sonic wouldn’t provide one. 

His rival looked at him with that same deadpan expression. Now sonic wanted a reaction, and alas, he too would not be provided one. 

“Maybe. You’ll have to come to my apartment before I make that decision,” Shadow’s hands returned behind his back. He paced around Sonic, circling like a swarm of hungry vultures to a corpse. 

“And you called me the fag,” Sonic broke out into a chuckle. The intimidation tactics wouldn’t slide with him. “I’m not playing with your joystick if that’s what you want,  _ Shady _ ,” an amused tear was wiped from his eye. 

“Good. That is the last thing I want,” Shadow stopped right in front of him. 

“Where’s this apartment anyway? In a spaceship? Or perhaps a slum? No, no, let me guess, you live in a cabin in the woods,” 

Shadow pointed down. Sonic looked at the ground slightly confused until he caught on. They were on top a skyscraper, an absolute monolith of a building. It was so high the wind was pretty aggressive, but it was also a gorgeous view. One could see all of Empire City from up there. It was beautiful. 

“You live here?” Sonic asked.

Shadow didn’t respond; he simply made his way to the rooftop door.

  
  


“Unbelievable,” Sonic whispered under his breath the moment he stepped inside the lavish presidential suite. Below him stood white marble floors, in the hallway hung three modern chandeliers all of differentiating sizes, the open living room was decorated in expensive furniture, and then there was the window. The glass hit the ceiling to the floor. That's how wide it was, and it showed everything. Sonic thought the view on the roof was gorgeous, well this one took the cake. The fish eye frame distorted the city in such a way that one literally felt on top of the world. He was looking down from the heavens. 

Shadow joined him in his gawk.

There was no way his rival was able to afford this.

“Pretty sweet joint you have here. Didn’t know you were a business tycoon.” Sonic playfully hit the grouch on the chest before wandering off to explore more. His things were haphazardly thrown on the nearest surface.

“I’m not,” Shadow grumbled under his breath, but the speedster was barely listening. Sonic was in the kitchen now opening the glass cabinets and drawers. Every inch was invaded as he tried to piece together how a person like Shadow could manage to pay for such a place. That is when he stumbled upon a bottle of wine, and judging by the name he couldn’t pronounce, the thing probably cost more than his house.

“You won’t snitch on me if I have a drink, will ya? I technically still have three more years, but everyone knows that rule was made for breaking,” Sonic popped the cork before Shadow could step foot inside the kitchen. He eyed him with the same stupid blank look on his face, bandage on his nose, and the hero’s album in his gloves. With such a downer attitude he earned himself a head shake. 

“Ya got any cups?” Sonic went scrounging for something to hold his drink. Squatting down to open a bottom cabinet, the hedgehog was startled when a pair of rocket boots appeared right next to him. He stood up and Shadow handed him a wine glass. “Geez, dude. You should consider a role as a ghost with the way you pop in and out of existence,” The cup was placed on the counter along with another. Sonic filled up both glasses. 

“I tend to forget you lesser beings can’t do it,” 

“Do what? Weird out all the ladies with faux teleportation? Or maybe it’s the sneaking around that really gets them wet,” Red wine cascaded down a blue throat as the liquid was guzzled with one swift motion. Sonic poured himself another glass. 

“You have no experience with women, not that you're interested in them to begin with,” Shadow didn’t touch his glass. Instead he continued to eye the hero. 

Sonic chuckled. He was right, and that thought scared the hedgehog more than anything. “Yet I still have my fair share of fan girls. I don’t think a woman has ever looked your way, Faker.” The wine was downed again, quicker this time. Sonic poured another drink before continuing. “Women are lame anyways,” He burped.

“And men are better?” Shadow asked in such a therapeutic tone, so much so that Sonic thought he was laid out on a couch. 

This earned his buddy a scoff to go along with the head shake. “Men suck too,” he mumbled. Another glass poured, another shot taken.

“I guess tails doesn’t suck,” Shadow flipped through the photo album again. He stopped on the page with a sleeping Miles. There was a silent pause in the kitchen. 

“Tails is my friend. Are you done with the stupid interrogation?” The need for the subject to be dropped never felt more intense. Sonic was all but begging for a new distraction. 

Shadow caught on. He closed the book again. 

“I don’t drink.” The grouch had to be lying through his teeth. There was no way this guy was not an alcoholic. 

Sonic cut his eyes at him suspiciously. “I don’t believe you. Plus you got more bottles on the rack. Don’t tell me it’s just for show,”

“It’s just for show. Came with the suite and I decided to keep it,” Shadow folded his arms as a familiar frown returned on his mug. Sonic couldn’t be more overjoyed. He too loosened up.

“Well more for me then,” The speedster snatched the bottle by the neck and drank straight from it. The contents were caroused down in seconds. A satisfying  _ ahh  _ escaped his jaws as the glass container was slammed down on the counter. Sonic’s grin grew dopey. Shadow’s glass was also sipped down. “This place is like a dream come true. Hell, all it’s missing is a pool,” The hero slurred. 

Shadow chuckled. “Well aren’t you in luck,” He motioned for Sonic to follow. Hesitantly he did. Promises of water made him hic in happiness. 

They traveled through a hallway that led to a spiral staircase. Sonic looked over the glass balcony. Below was a new room. It appeared to be a dining area equipped with chairs, dishes, and a nice comfy table to land on if he just so happened to suddenly jump—

“It’s this way,” Shadow snatched his focus back on him. 

Sonic had his wine glass in his hands. He swished the red liquid around as if he were a studious aristocrat. “My mistake, kind sir,” The blue hero sauntered towards him with a snotty stance and a fake accent. Shadow didn’t smirk, but Sonic could tell deep down in that cold heart of his he was laughing. 

They continued their journey through the massive penthouse until they reached a set of twin doors. Like most things in the flamboyant apartment, it was glass. Sonic could see the body of water from where he stood. “You really do have a pool?!” He shoved the half empty glass at Shadow before bursting through the doors. He wasted no time pulling his sneakers off and his socks along with it. A cannonball accompanied his excitement. The splash caused a large wave of water to flood on the stone floor. Sonic dived down. Lights illuminated his stomach as he broke the force of the water and swam through it. He felt like a majestic dolphin the way the clear liquid and lights blended together. The chlorine didn’t even irritate his busted, cut, and bruised hands. 

Sonic resurfaced. He spat water from his mouth like a fountain, and shook his soaked quills like a mutt. Shadow stood at the edge of the pool, looking down at him, watching like he did with the cityscape. He had a towel in his hands and the album above it. Both were neatly placed on a lounge chair. 

“I guess staying the night wouldn’t hurt,” It was a low comment through hazy eyes. Shadow adjusted his gold rings. He appeared to be occupied. The hero knew he really wasn’t. 

Sonic dunked his head underwater again this time sinking as he pinched his nose and held his breath. He saw a blur of black gazing down at him. Shadow's red eyes were as clear as day despite the rest of the world blending into a mesh of color. He wanted to close his eyes, look away, do something other than stare back, but found he couldn’t. Sonic stayed below the surface even when the bubbles bobbed from his puffed cheeks, or when his eyeballs ached from the pool's chemicals, or even when his drunk mind told him to come up for air. He stayed and he watched. He waited.

He half hoped he would drown. 

“You can sleep on the couch,” Shadow broke eye contact as he rested his head on his knuckles. A bored expression was plaster on his cut face. A hand was inspected just to look busy. A scowl no longer a scowl, but that same emotionless expression. He sat crisscrossed. 

Sonic gasped for air, coughing. He swam towards the towel. Exhausted for the second time that night, he hopped out of the pool and collapsed on his back. His feet remained in the water. It splashed between his toes. Shadow was on the opposite side of the lounge chair. He no longer glared. 

Silence. There was silence again. The two listened to the sound of water trickle from the small waterfall. They listened to Sonic’s soft breathing. They listened to muffle white noise. 

Just like the living room, there stood a large window overlooking the night sky. Sonic stared out. The moon draped the dark pool room in a white, dim light. It really went quiet then as he felt the world around him fall at the seams. It was just him and the moon. Him and his sins, his awful desires, and as Shadow said; it was only a matter of time before he succumbed.

When it happened, when the inevitable occurred and he was forced to face it, could he handle it? Should he even handle it? Why did he have to ask such questions if he was supposed to be a hero? This wasn’t a struggle for the good guys. He shouldn’t be a pervert. He shouldn’t feel this way. He didn’t want to feel this way. 

And to have Shadow see the filth he masturbated to, it only made him ask more questions. Sonic was a bad bundle of confusion that just wanted things to be like the old time. He didn’t want to be an adult. Now he couldn’t breath, or hold back the sting in his eyes. Sonic tried to smile. The need for fresh air, a clear head, felt like a pipe dream. 

One he couldn’t have.

“You wish, Faker,” His voice cracked. “I’m taking your room,” 


	8. The Name

The old stone building stood sandwiched between a megamarket and a row of mixed-use convenience stores. All of which were brick and all of which were grunge, the only difference between the gym and the others were the large sign and open garage door that welcomed passerbys in. It was a warm environment. It represented the best of the grassroots. It made the telepath’s knees buck. 

Silver watched from the sidewalk, he gawked at it like a child to a chocolate fountain. People walked on around him, going about their daily lives, rushing into the large grocer next door, and the smaller cheaper ones on the opposite side, yet he stared unnoticed. 

Blaze shoved a phone in his hand before she left for work that morning. She went over her number a thousand times to make sure he got, again treating him like a child. Silver played along, he did whatever Blaze wanted in fear of her discovering his plan for the day. 

_ “Stay here, okay? I’ll be home at 5. Then we can get noodles and watch whatever you want,”  _ It sounded like a plan, a decent plan, but he had a mission to fulfill. There was no time for lollygagging. Plus he wasn’t all too fond of noodles. 

So he left the phone behind the moment Blaze walked out the door. His mind was convinced he could be tracked with it, and perhaps he was right, perhaps he wasn’t, either way he couldn’t be too sure. 

**_Red Mutt! Boxing & Fitness_ **

The name was intimidating. The jocks shuffling in and out were intimidating. The workout equipment was all so intimidating. Silver knew he didn’t belong there; with his malnutritioned frame, flimsy powers, and distorted mind. He was a mouse in a room full of peckish cats. It would be any minute before he was eaten alive. 

Silver was reminded of the all too familiar faces, the structure, the actions from individuals similar to those inside. The powerful preying on the weak. He was always the weak, always a target, it was branded on his forehead for the world to see. No matter where he went, who he interacted with, they would know. Everyone knew, and that was why he needed to hide away—

A loud honk startled him out of thought. The hedgehog almost jumped out of his skin. That was a sign. He couldn’t turn back now no matter how much he wanted to, and he  _ really _ wanted to. 

Silver moved forward, slowly. He passed the safety of the public sidewalk and stepped into the shaded gym. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the changing brightness, not that he needed his vision to know what laid before him. On both sides of the gym were the sounds of grunting, clinking metal, and clashing stereos. Unless one were at a very close proximity to a particular radio, all the music blended together, making an orchestra of cacophony. 

He covered his ears, kept his eyes forward, and tried to move on. 

The building was large with a red boxing ring at the center of it. Inside the ring were two sparing individuals, one a hefty polar bear, and the other a red echidna. They went back and forth, the big one punching open spiked gloves, the other encouraging him to hit harder. Silver cringed after each punch. There was such skill, such force, behind each strike yet the echidna took it as if it were nothing. To imagine his face between the glove and the fist sent shivers down Silver’s brittle spine. 

He swallowed. 

The need to focus his attention on something else was strong, so he scanned around for the mysterious  _ Knuckles _ . He imagined the business owner to be in a suit and tie, well dressed, and muscular. Blaze did mention Rouge liking beef heads. With that description Silver had a few images of what to expect from Mr. Knuckles, and none of them were currently in the gym. 

He spotted a gigantic clock on a long stone wall. It was a quarter past two. Silver took a seat on a bench as he tried to be as sly with his observation as possible. The rusted industrial windows did a decent job at adding natural lighting to the building, so he got a decent view of the gym equipment and the attendants on them. There were tank tops, sweatshirts, jumpsuits, barebacks, but no suits. He saw people of all sizes, builds, physiques, and though there wasn’t a shortage of bodybuilders none of them screamed  _ businessman.  _

The thought of just getting up and asking where he could find Knuckles was not tempting enough to cause Silver to step out of his comfort zone, he was already on the verge of a mental breakdown with all the people around. He kept his head low to avoid any accidental eye contact. 

Again, he hit a brick wall. 

Silver laid his head in his palms, defeated, and he felt like a fool. Why didn’t he ask for a description before he jumped the gun? Any good detective—hell, any monkey with half a brain— would’ve thought to do that. He let out a quiet sigh. 

What a stupid boy he was. 

Through puffy eyes, he sat up. Life seemed to move on without a beat for everyone else, yet here he sat riddled with anxiety at the thought of looking a person in the face. Blaze’s suggestion for therapy never felt more needed, but he couldn’t jeopardize his mission. He would get up, he would do this, he just needed a few seconds to build up the courage. 

Just a few short seconds. 

  
  
  


A few seconds grew into minutes which grew into an hour. Silver sat on the bench unmoved, face forward, eyes devoid of life. People came and went, some noticed him, many did not. He heard snippets of casual conversation, laughter, arguments. All of which were muffled and just as blended together as the background music. One or two approached him asking if he were alright, Silver didn’t respond. Another asked him to use his phone, silver didn’t respond. A group approached requesting the bench he was sitting on in, again no response. 

Eventually he became just another piece of furniture. Old gym members left for the day, new ones took their place, and still Silver sat. The small hand on the steam clock went by, ticking from three to four to six to eight. It was dark now, large industrial windows were no longer sufficient as a light source. New lights came on. 

Silver remained seated. 

He stared down at his glowing palms. The realization that he was wasting time did not go unnoticed, he mentally beat himself up for not doing something. Frustration left his lids as puffy as they were hours ago. He refused to cry, though, the added embarrassment being too much to handle. 

“Knuckles!” 

A loud slam came from beyond the boxing ring. It was at the opposite end of where the grey hedgehog sat. His head slowly turned towards it. The gym was now empty. Everyone left for the day. The open garage door now shut. 

A sudden shot of confidence hit him. Finally he got up, his mind reminding the telepath he had a task that needed to be handled. Hands clenched and posture hunched, a deep inhale was taken. Slowly, Silver walked towards the sound of yelling. He tried to stay out of view, eavesdrop, which wasn’t too difficult for an outcast like him. If people weren’t looking at him to garner empathy points they weren’t looking at him at all. 

“...just stop for a minute. I got it and I can’t believe you broke it. Do you know how hard it was to get my hands on this stupid radio?” A female voice snapped in annoyance. There was the sound of shuffling. As Silver got closer he spotted pink fur below a red dress. The owner of the voice stood up in an animated manner. Spare metal parts sat in gloved hands. 

“Hey! No one told you to bring that here, plus it was an accident,” A male voice stepped in. His red dreads swayed as he transferred his weight from one foot to the other. Silver crouched next to the ring and ducked whenever the head turned in his direction. 

“Sonic told me to meet him here!” The pink hedgehog pulled a phone out as she shoved it in the echidna’s face pointing to something on the screen. Her tone went up. Her dress bounced. Silver noticed the spiked knuckles on the male’s gloves. It was only then that the name dawned on him and he felt like an idiot for not figuring it out. “Don’t tell me I missed him! He was here earlier wasn’t he?” The female continued. 

“I hate to tell you this, but it appears the idiot stood you up again. The last time I saw him was a day before the party. It doesn’t help that he isn’t picking up the phone,” The echidna stood the least bit bothered by her short outburst. 

“Maybe he’s busy. He does have a hectic life,” The female looked down at her phone, white gloves scrolling through an unseen webpage. 

“Doubt it. I got a call from his frantic sister last night wanting to know if Sonic swung by. When I told her I haven’t seen him she broke down crying. Apparently he beat up Manic before storming out. They guy has to be up to no good—“

“Beat up Manic!? That doesn’t sound like Sonic and you know it!” Another shout. Silver backed into the shadows. He couldn’t help but feel bad for listening in the delicate matters of the two strangers' lives, but something told him he needed to hear it. 

“Look, it doesn’t matter if you think he did it or not, he’s been avoiding people and that’s not right. If he’s replying to your texts ask him where he ran off to and tell him he needs to stop acting like a child and handle his business the right way,” There was brief silence after knuckles spoke. 

The pink hedgehog started to gather the pieces of the shattered radio below their feet. She suddenly gasped. “What if he got kidnapped! What if we’re wasting time and Sonic is somewhere scared and alone—“

“And that sounds like Sonic? Ha! If anyone is getting kidnapped it’s you. You have a bad case of  _ damsel-in-distress, _ ” The echidna let out a loud, rumbling, laugh. His companion punched him on the thigh. 

“Give me his sister’s number. I’ll get to the bottom of this,” 

Knuckles caught his breath before shaking his head. “If you don’t have Sonia’s number there is a reason for that,” He squatted down to help her with the last large chunks.

“Knuckles! I need it. Please,” She begged, tugging at his arm. 

“No can do, but if you know where Sonic is then you need to tell him to go home,” He stood unmoved by her antics. 

“If I have her number I can give her his location,”

“This isn’t for us to get in the middle of. Stay out of the drama, Amy,” 

The pink hedgehog blew a raspberry at him. “I’m getting that number with or without you. I’ll get Tikal to hand it over and tell her you didn’t want to help,” They both stood up. 

  
  


“Feel free, just know when shit hits the fan, and it will, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Knuckles patted her on the back. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked not really desiring an answer. 

“Goodbye, Ms, Rose. I gotta lock up,” he pushed her out of his office, effectively ending the conversation right there. 

“Hey wait! At least let me wait for my ride first,” She dug in her heels then stomped her foot when she got beyond the door frame. The echidna waved at her before shutting his door. 

She pouted then turned to leave. “Now I gotta get this stupid thing fixed,” A grumble echoed throughout the gym. Then silence. 

Silver held his breath. He mistook the silence as a sign of her departure. The hedgehog left his hiding spot a bit too early as the moment he stepped out of his cover he bumped into the pink female. Both of them stumbled back. Both rushed to apologize.

“S-sorry—“

“No, I’m sorry. I should really watch where I’m going,” A nervous chuckle left her lips. She watched Silver closely, green eyes scanning his odd appearance. 

He already felt uncomfortable. The thought of her findings out he was spying on them gave a sour taste in his throat. Already his brain scrambled to make up an excuse. He had none. Therefore evacuation was in order. 

“I should go,” The telepath attempted to walk around her when she stopped him. 

“Are you alright? If you need anything I can try my best to help,” Another friendly gesture from a stranger. Silver was beginning to feel like a charity case. He hated that. It was one of the reasons he ran away to begin with. He opened his mouth to say something when he was immediately cut off by an open door. 

“Hey, you must be Silver,” Knuckles leaned against his office door frame with his arms crossed. He also had a warm smile. 

“How do you know my name?” The hedgehog asked with a spike to his paranoia. The encounter with the stranger from yesterday sat fresh in his mind. He was prepared to bolt again at the mention of a video. 

“I got a call from a friend asking that I help you out. I noticed you by the bench a few hours ago but thought I’d give you a moment,” The echidna clarified while standing up right to look less unprofessional. The fear in Silver's voice was very evident. “We all need a breather sometimes. I’ve been there plenty of times in the past,”

The pink hedgehog joined in. “Yeah, I can relate to the feeling too. I think most people can, but it’s nice to meet you, Mr. Silver. I’m Amy Rose,” she waved, bubblegum fur swished with her enthusiasm. She offered a hand for him to shake. Hesitantly, he took it. 

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Silver spoke in a low tone as he hung his head. 

“I better get going, but you’re in good hands with Knuckles,” 

“Yup. I assure you these teeth don’t bite,” A chuckle vibrated in his throat. Silver diverted his gaze from Amy. She seemed kind enough, but he didn’t like to be touched and their hands were still locked together. As if catching on to his discomfort, the other hedgehog pulled away. She gave one last nod before she turned to leave with the radio in her hands. Knuckles got a little closer as he clapped his palms together to gather Silver’s attention. 

“So! Let’s step into my office and we can get started,” He motioned for Silver to follow. When he did, the echidna pointed at the two seats in front of his desk. When Silver sat down the door closed. He gulped. 

Silver didn’t like the door closed, but didn’t dare say anything. 

“You might be excited to know you’re my very first client,” Knuckles took a seat. His large leather office chair creaked with the added weight. It engulfed him the moment he leaned back. The two made brief eye contact, but Silver quickly broke it. 

The small room was decorated in trophies, medals, and other great achievements. He spotted images of two echidnas embracing, others of the red male in a ring, some of him with clients. Behind them was a collage of photos with people he didn’t recognize and others he just met, and then there was the largest frame of all: a picture of four friends and the blue hedgehog included. Silver gulped again. 

He was exactly where he needed to be. Fate was working miracles, so he couldn’t mess this up. 

“I-I’am?” He asked. 

“You are. I graduated last spring and only got around to getting properly certified last month.” Another frame on his desk was turned towards Silver. It was a diploma. 

Silver said nothing. He stared at the accolades, envious of the smiling faces and appearance of a good time. Reminded of normalcy, and craving it like a fish craved water. The mission overshadowed that thought. The mission was more important. 

Knuckles continued. “I always wanted to take personal training a step further, really help people get on track with their lives, so I decided to become a dietitian,” he picked up a pen and began clicking it over and over again. “So I can tell right now that our goal for you is to get you at a healthy BMI for your age, height, and species. Honestly, I assumed I would be dealing with a lot of overweight clients seeking a new diet plan and help to keep the weight off, but I see we’ll have to go in the opposite direction for you,” The pen clicking continued. “And uh, I’m not very good at the mental stuff, but I’m sure we can get someone to help you change your way of thinking, y’know?” 

Silver looked down at his visible rib cage. “It has nothing to do with a morphed perception of my body or a need to chase beauty trends,” He quickly added, suddenly feeling so ashamed. It was like he was responding to words never spoken but very evidently there. 

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” Knuckles assured him.

“No, I do. I’m not...I’m not sick, and I know you and everyone else is thinking that. I had very good reasons not to eat, but I’m willing to start now if you can help me..” Silver paused. He could see on Knuckles face that he was attempting to conceal his judgment, what he really thought of his words, what he thought of him. “...help me get as strong as the guy’s in your gym so I can take down a very bad person,” This whole situation was embarrassing. He felt like such a bother, an anomaly, something for people to point at and pity. But once he does face the pedophile it would be disastrous if he can’t take him down because of his own insecurities. 

“A need to take down a bad person, eh? Well I’m totally on board! It’s a relatable goal that I hope to help you achieve. So when are you looking to get started?” The pen clicking stopped as Knuckles developed a new sense of enthusiasm. He genuinely appeared interested in doing the best he could with what he had, and making Silver a true badass. 

“I don’t know. I couldn’t afford to pay you and I would hate for someone else to foot the bill—“

“Don’t worry about that, man. This is pro bono. Not only do I want to be responsible for your wicked makeover, but the request to check you out came from an unlikely person. I’m curious to see why they, of all people, asked for the favor,” 

“Is this friend the blue hedgehog?” Silver quickly asked as he suddenly spotted an opportunity to get what he originally came for. 

“You mean Sonic?” Knuckles scoffed. “You would think, but nah. Not him,” 

Silver thought to ask the identity of the friend again, when Knuckles stood up. 

“I say we get started first thing in the morning. I’ll need you to fill a few things out for me so I can type out your meal plan, but I’m telling ya, Silver. This is the start of something great. Can I trust you to stick with it?” 

A stack of papers were handed his way. The grey hedgehog looked them over. It was all personal information, things he couldn’t remember, things he didn’t know. When was he born? Did he have a social security number? He didn’t have a telephone number at all. The same pen was handed to him. He didn’t want to tell Knuckles he didn’t know half the questions—most of the questions—so he put down what he did know. Blaze’s number, address, and birthday. 

He was reminded of their date. She was probably home by now. He wasted so much time, but at least he got more information. At least he was a step closer to completing his goal. At least he got the name. 

“Y-yes. I’ll do anything to stop a pedophile,” 

  
  
  



	9. The Porno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the sake of avoiding chapter spoilers I will usually try to refrain from warnings about upcoming disturbing scenes. Seeing as this is the first real depiction of rape I will make an exception this time. 
> 
> So, caution: Rape. 
> 
> This story will have a lot of it, so if it isn’t your cup of tea I would suggest turning back now. ;) 
> 
> Enjoy!

Light reflected off a bottle forming a faux rainbow ricocheting off glass surfaces. It hit a set of eyes, a robotic death ray, and broke any semblance of a dream. A blue body turned over with an annoyed grumble. A head shoved itself under a blanket. A headache pulsated through a dome. A stomach rumbled. A gut turned, and convoluted, then quickly discarded its contents.

Sonic shot up and grabbed his mouth. His cheeks puffed as he tried to swallow back bile, his attempt failed as he puked all over the white carpet. An off color of red refilled empty bottles as the hedgehog realized all he consumed yesterday was wine, and a lot of it. He guzzled the thing like water, and when he finished one bottle he would grab another, and another, until he couldn’t stand up anymore. Then he passed out, and now he was made to suffer for his poor decisions. 

He sat up, held his forehead, then noticed the clock on the dresser. It was 8:39pm. Not only did he mistake a very bright ceiling light for the sun, but it was pitch black outside. He slept the whole day away. 

“Shit!” The speedster rushed out of the lavish king size bed. He had rolled over a few times to get to the opposite end in order to avoid his flood of vomit. Vomit he should probably be cleaned up. Through a sore head and worse stomach, he looked for something disposable to soak it up. Everything in the room—in the penthouse—was non disposable. 

Sonic swore again. 

Luckily he wasn’t in Shadow’s room so there was no way the guy could get riled up at the results of his hangover. He was technically spoon fed the wine, his rival not hindering his decision to dip back in the liquor rack. Still it didn’t feel right to leave—

He puked again. It knocked the wind out of his lungs and forced him to his knees. A new red puddle stained a manicured carpet. It was just getting embarrassing now. Obviously he couldn’t hold his liquor yet stuffed his kidneys full of the substance. 

Slowly he staggered towards the door in search of a towel or toilet. With such a large house one would think the guest bedroom would be equipped with a bathroom but it wasn’t. So he traveled the long halls, all the lights not doing him much justice, all the doors just the same, and many nooks and crannies, and the two sets of staircases. He was going to puke again, he felt it like an incoming tide, yet he couldn’t find a bathroom. 

The more he wandered the more he found it useless. The floor would just have to suffer the second his esophagus filled up again. He waited for it to happen, held his breath, bent over to avoid more puke from sticking to his fur, but nothing came. He could literally hear crickets and moaning—moaning? Curious blue ears twitched as they tried to pinpoint the sound. It came from the bottom floor, Sonic chased it. He came across a door and listened in. His hearing didn’t forsake him, there was wet, pleasurable, moans. 

Sonic grinned then shook his head. He prepared to walk away to give the two a moment when a new interest hit him; what type of chick would agree to go home with Shadow, of all people? It had to be a prostitute and Sonic was willing to bet a large chunk of money on that. So he slowly opened the door just to take a tiny peek.

In the room, his rival sat on a large couch facing an equally large television. Only the black hedgehog’s quills could be seen, backlit by the screen’s glow. It was dark in there. He was watching porn. Shadow turned his head to the side. 

They both looked at each other for a short, painful, second before Sonic rubbed the back of his neck and tried to break the awkwardness. 

“Sorry to disturb, but I puked all over your floor. You wouldn’t happen to have a steam cleaner by any chance?” He close-eye grinned, his bare feet crossed as he stood in a  _ whoopsie  _ manner. 

Shadow simply stared at him before turning back to the television. A set of breasts jiggled on screen. “Close the door. You’re trekking light inside,”

“Sure thing. I’ll figure it out myself,” Sonic backed up to leave when Shadow held a hand up to stop him. He had an out and there it went, gone with the wind. Talk about stepping over relationship boundaries. 

“No, I still want to talk just closer the door behind you,” He said in a gruff voice.

Sonic blinked a few times like an idiot. “You sure you want me jacking up the atmosphere? I don’t smell all too alluring at the moment,” Despite saying that he complied. The door shut, the room got darker save for the big screen. Sonic approached the couch and leaned on the back of it. He peeked over, relieved not to find a random slut on her knees nor Shadow choking the chicken. 

“This looks like a fun scene,” The hero commented not knowing what sort of conversations went on between two buds watching porn together. “You know, you do a lot of gay shit for someone who claims to not be gay,” He commented while picking the dirt out of his nails. The video didn’t appeal to him in the slightest, they might as well turn on a real movie. Hell, he’d even watch a cheesy chick flick over this. 

“Did I ever say that, or did I ask if you were a fag, Faker?” Shadow grabbed the remote and turned the volume down by a few notches. 

“So you’re the fag then? I’m glad you told me, Shadow, because it all makes  _ too _ much sense. Now you can step out of the closet,” Sonic quipped, hitting his rival on the shoulder. He expected an angry outburst but got none. Shadow had been so well behaved the past few days, and Sonic hated it. 

“Whatever I like is irrelevant. Love and affection doesn’t appeal to me either way,”

“Another edgy response from the grouch. I’m beginning to think you’re nothing but a bundle of cliches.” The woman on screen continued to ride a faceless man. Her breast bounced with each roll of the hips and thrust. Sonic felt sick looking at them. Two blood sacks attached to a chest like overgrown leeches? He didn’t know how anyone found that attractive. “Why’d you let me sleep the day away? I told you yesterday I was only staying the night,”

“Am I your babysitter? If you needed to get up at a certain time that is your responsibility,” Shadow lectured him. The scolding tone was so much like everyone else. He was through with it and not about to accept life lessons from a major screw up—a screw up who managed to get his claws on a million dollar apartment. 

Touché. 

Sonic hopped over the couch and took a seat at a decent, less  _ weird,  _ distance from his stoic rival. They watched the scene in silence. The actress was now on her knees, tongue out, like a dog. She begged for the faceless gentleman to ejectulate on her face. 

Sonic visibly cringed. He looked over at Shadow, his face flat like the previous night. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but he also didn’t look aroused. “So do you just watch porn for fun?” He asked instead of the original question that has been bugging him; how did he afford this place? Perhaps he wasn’t meant to know. 

“Do you watch porn for fun?” Like a broken record, Shadow repeated back at him. 

“Nah, man. I can just get the real deal,” Sonic winked. 

“Yet you don’t. Why is that?” Shadow turned to look at him. Sonic faced the TV. The judgement stare was getting old. 

“I’m gay remember,” 

Shadow continued to glare, red pupils piercing a hole on the side of his face. It burned, felt so fiery hot he could break a sweat. What an asshole. 

“I don’t masturbate to this vanilla shit. It’s just warm up,” The conversation was dropped. Finally his intense eyeing broke as Shadow got up and approached a DVD player. He took out the adult film and replaced it with a nameless disk from an unmarked case. Sonic watched curiously as the screen turned black. 

“Warm up? That sounds pretty lame. Are you dealing with a few erectile problems?” Despite his laugh Sonic wasn’t really entertained. 

“We’re pretty similar, you and I,” Shadow shot him a look after the comment, but even that didn’t hold up to the mighty emotionless stare. The need to scream  _ frown dammit!  _ Was strong, yet he bit his lip instead. 

“Oh yeah? And how are we similar? I mean I’m cool, fast, and liked by everyone, and you’re liked by no one, edgy, and suffering with dick issues.” Another jab at his ego. He hoped Shadow would bite. 

He didn’t. 

“We’re both fighting our desires. I’m going to tell you something I never said aloud.” The dark rival crossed his arms as he looked beyond Sonic. “That book...that book was my only outlet for a while, but now it’s simply not cutting it anymore,” 

“Get a new diary then,” 

“Sonic, I want to hurt people—“

“That’s not shocking. Look at your color scheme. I’m still surprised you aren’t on team Robotnik,” That joke was a  _ real _ knee slapper. He leaned back and held his stomach, legs kicked, as he snickered. Despite using his usual antics to get under Shadow’s skin, he remained unfazed. 

“You say that, but I never wanted to inflict harm on anyone. Not even now.” 

“So what are you telling me? You killed a bus load of schoolchildren?” Sonic wiped a tear from his eye. Again with Shadow’s school shooter jargon, it was losing its charm. 

“I want to rape women,” Shadow said plainly, not caring to beat around the bush anymore. The room grew quiet. 

Sonic stopped laughing. He sat up, now too aware of the red stained to his chest fur. He whipped a bare hand on it, it didn’t come off. Whatever Shadow put on the television began to play. It was found footage, a faceless someone walking in the woods, panting. 

“You probably should see someone about that.” The blue hero finally spoke after a minute. The light reflected off his quills. He was reminded of his own problems and he didn’t like it. 

“There’s no point. Whether I speak to a shrink or not won’t stop the inevitable,” 

“The inevitable? How do you know I…” Sonic caught himself. He let out the air he was storing in his lungs, a shaky exhale. “How do you know  _ you _ can’t prevent it? It’s not hard to  _ not  _ rape someone,” 

“You know that’s not true.” Behind Shadow the video displayed the faceless individual hiding in a bush. The camera turned to a playground. It zoomed on a particular girl; a Mobian pup with fluffy ears and a dress to match. She sat, squated, in front of a mud puddle. Totally unaware of the camera or the danger behind it. “Eventually you’ll have to give in,”

“Why are you telling me this?” Sonic couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the screen, the girl, the peek of her underwear as she flashed the stranger innocently in her squatted position. “You can get into real trouble, you know?” He sat up properly with sweaty palms.

“But I trust you, Sonic. I need someone to relate to, a confidant if you will, and in return I hope to do the same for you. Two deviants against the world,” Shadow stood in front of his view when the camera cut to a different scene. The same girl now walked alone with a large school bag saddled on her back. The camera man approached her. Her large brown eyes blinked at the stranger. She smiled.

“I’m not a deviant,” Sonic swallowed. “I have no desire to rape a bunch of women,“

“Yes, I’m aware of that because you are—“

“Not into kids,”

“—gay.”

Again, more deadly silence. The muted television couldn’t provide an out for the words he said. Shadow knew, that guy at the park knew. Did anyone else know? He couldn’t bear to see his friends’ faces, his sister’s face, if news got out. 

The camera switched again. The same girl now sat naked on a bed. The look on her face said it all; she was terrified. A silent question was asked, a mouth moved to answer it. Gloved hands rubbed her small thighs. She attempted to cover her flat chest. 

Sonic’s green pupils darted around the dark room attempting to look anywhere but at the nude child. He couldn’t. He simply couldn’t look away. He was drawn to it like a magnet. 

Shadow silently observed. Studying him, his little test subject, then he got out of the way and took a seat again. 

The video continued. The two watched. The girl was forced to lay on her back as the cameraman spread her legs open and shoved the frame at her bare privates. It was a simple slit, there wasn’t much to see until a white finger pried it apart. He displayed her pink insides; the wet vulva, the small clit, parted lips, puckered anus. 

Sonic grew aroused. A hidden penis now stood at full attention in his lap. His face burned hot with both embarrassment and lust. He attempted to adjust his posture to hide the obvious. 

“You’re right. You aren’t a deviant, I guess I was wrong,” Almost as if to draw out a confession, Shadow grabbed the remote to turn the TV off. Sonic stopped him, his bruised hands squeezed a peach arm. 

A finger pushed into a small hole, tiny legs tried to shut, but were forced open. Sonic couldn’t hold it back any longer. He didn’t care if Shadow was sitting right there, the guy already saw his weak side, so he stroked his penis. Thin lips were nibbled on as his eyes stayed on the little girls violated parts. As the video went on a second finger entered her. The pumping glove covered in red. The camera peeked at a crying face; small, cute, innocent. 

He wanted it. 

He wanted to feel it, see it for himself. The stroking picked up speed. Up and down, up and down, if his palms were gloved he would’ve given himself rug burn. He tried to match the pumping in the video, steady with it, as he imagined himself above her, eyes locked together as she squirmed. Her soft hands brushing against his cheek, her moans, her tight pussy. The fingers were removed, a gel poured down her vagina. A faceless penis followed the glistening lube as he rubbed it into a hole. More panic squirming added to the thrill as a member began invading a tunnel that was too small to fit. 

Sonic lost it then.

He came all over his hands, hot tears staining his peach cheeks. “I am a deviant...I shouldn’t be around people. I should be shot,” Sonic broke down sobbing. He stared at his hands as if they were stained with innocent blood, face mortified. He was so disgusted at himself that he would’ve puked all over again if his stomach wasn’t completely empty. 

“You’re allowed to do this. What is one bad thing to the hundreds of good you brought to the world,” Shadow offered only words of comfort. He stayed seated at his spot, arms crossed, head low, eyes closed. “I say we try to find a solution that benefits everyone. Eventually jerking off won’t be sufficient,” 

“Why are you encouraging this?” Sonic said through sniffles. What he wanted to hear was Shadow’s utter disgust. He wanted to be ostracized, shamed, made to suffer for his actions, but instead got the opposite. It gave him a false sense of approval, undeserved approval. “I should be in jail,”

“Soon, so should I, but we won’t go to jail and you know why?” 

“Why?” Sonic calmed down a little. 

“Because the world is rotten, and fucking kids or raping some slut is not the worst thing out there. If you want to beat yourself up about it be my guest, but I’m trying to help you,” 

The video went on, the girl’s insides torn by the nameless adult, the camera focusing on her chest, then her face. A wet, snotty, face pleading for mercy. It wouldn’t come. Regardless of how long ago the tape was filmed, the moment was forever memorized. Sonic wouldn’t forget it and he was sure she wouldn’t either. Despite that, Shadow was right. There was worse out there than lusting over a child, and the two would know it more than anyone else. 

“Are you saying you wanna be partners in crime?” Sonic chuckled as he wiped his eyes. There would never be a moment when he wouldn’t punish his faulty brain. Scums, like himself, deserved nothing less than death. It was just too bad he was afraid to take his own life. 

He looked at Shadow, Shadow looked at him. His flat face switched into a smug smirk. 

Sonic felt he could cry all over again with how happy he was to see his rival’s expression change. Accepting his desires may never come, but preparing for the inevitable would be foolish to pass up. If he had someone willing to help, or relate, he would take it. He’d take anything at this point, especially a cure. 

“More like you’ll be my sidekick,” 

  
  
  
  



	10. The Cuts

Silver ran home. His boots hit dry concrete like the hammer of God. Sore lungs didn’t stop his feet from moving forward, and though he was nowhere as fast as the blue stranger he met yesterday, he still made decent progress on his trek. He wished he could telepathically fly, teleport, or click red heels together to get somewhere in an instant, but for now the bus would have to do. 

He was late. 

Not just late, but  _ late  _ late. Four hours late—well much more than that— but Blaze wasn’t home to notice the countless other hours. If he had the money, and the confidence, he would’ve picked up ramen. Maybe a movie to go with the noodles, and he was sure adding a pinch of  _ smile  _ was just the concoction to fix his mistake. 

Skipping a few steps at a time, Silver took a second to catch his breath before he approached the apartment door. It was like preparing for an audition, job interview, meeting in-laws. His impression management being the best yet at that very moment. The hedgehog grabbed the knob, then exhaled. He could see Blaze’s disappointment now. She would probably lecture him about staying out late and not taking the phone. He was prepared to hear it and accept that he was wrong. 

Because he was.

Maybe they could still have that movie night. Today did call for a victorious celebration. 

The minute the door shut behind him he heard the rush of running water. Akin to a flooded dam, a tsunami, a disaster drawing near. Dreadful tears accompanied it. It was hard to hear. He covered his ears. Anxiety crept slowly up his spine, the need to panic overwhelming. 

Silver stepped forward. 

His feet now silent as a mouse as he slowly followed the sound of weeping. He didn’t want to see it, and he wouldn’t if he didn’t fear that his friend could be in mortal danger. The sobs led him to the bathroom, door slightly open, as he pushed it to get a better view. He saw the blood first, and his face drained of its color. Nervous hands gripped at his quills as he attempted to register the image before him. 

Rouge looked at him, she said nothing. Blaze laid in her arms. Several slashes covered her wrist, some fresh, many healed over. The bat pressed a towel against the injuries.

Lilac fur stuck to wounds. A ponytail that usually sat atop a vibrant head now flopped devoid of life over a tormented face. 

“Silver?” The sobbing paused as his childhood friend stared at him with swollen eyelids and runny mascara. She was stripped down to her underwear. A razor sat in her hands. Long cuts decorated her arms, thighs, stomach, all of which were scarred over. “You came back,” the crying continued. The blade dropped as the cat wiped at her eyes, hiccuping.

Silver was coughed up. He caused this. He hurt Blaze. “I’m sorry...I’m so sorry. I just got so caught up,” The hedgehog fell to his knees as the guilt began to quickly erode his conscience. He might as well have plunged the blade in her arm. 

Rouge removed the towel and opened the first aid box on the sink. “The cuts barely scratched the surface, she’ll be alright,” despite her words, Silver still felt guilty. Rouge applied disinfectant before wrapping her wrist in a long stretch compression bandage. No one spoke as she worked. Blaze bawled, then wipied at her snotty face. 

“I’m sorry,” Silver repeated, wanting her to desperately understand that he had to do it, she had to forgive him, forget that he ever abandoned her. Because he didn’t. 

Her only response was a wet eye rub as she tried to catch her shaky breath. 

Rouge covered her body in a towel when she finished securing her arm. “Can you just give us a moment please,” the bat requested while shooting him a look of disapproval. 

Silver didn’t want to leave, he wanted Blaze to know how truly remorseful he felt. He wanted her to know that he would never do it, he’d take the phone with him wherever, and return exactly on at the promised time. Hell, he’d do anything to prevent her from harming herself again. Especially over him.

He got up and gave one last glance. Both appeared let down. Both piqued. 

What a stupid boy.

  
  
  


Golden eyes peered into an unspoken void, the zone, a pocket of ponder. Dark walls stared back at him, just as fed up of his golden pupils as Silver was. He laid in bed, listening carefully to the apartment’s white noise. Blaze’s cries no longer filled the thin walls. It was quiet now. 

He should be celebrating, but he couldn’t.

_ Sonic _ . The pedophile he was tasked with offing has finally been given a name. Not only that, he now had contact with a close friend of his. Everything was falling into place so quickly it was almost unreal. With all that said he should have the biggest grin on his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to be happy. 

The journey was never supposed to be easy. He was destined for trials and tribulations, but alas it’s all for the benefit of the many rather than himself. He shut his eyes with that thought in mind. It comforted him like a cradle, rocked him to a peaceful slumber knowing he was on the right track. 

Silver didn’t get many dreams, often his mind would be riddled with nightmares, or on the common occasion when exhaustion would take him out, he wouldn’t dream at all. Pure blackness in a sea of nihility. Often he wondered if death would be similar; nothing, no light, no consciousness, no being. Other times he questioned if there was such a thing as a higher power. Destiny appeared to tell him there was, today proving it even more. That left him clueless on where he stood, if he was only seeking justice to atone for his sins, for the permanent blood on his filthy hands. He hoped the future had the answers. He hoped God, or whoever, had them too. He hoped his actions could be repaid. 

Tonight he dreamt of nothing.

  
  


White noise served as a buffer between the two worlds; sleep and awake. The brain switching to system repair, the body taking this time to mend, and there was a lot to mend. It craved a good night's sleep long enough to actually get work done despite the insomniac’s pushback. He would enter REM, but just as he was beaming up to  _ planet zonk-out _ , the signal snapped.

His bedroom door creaked open. 

Silent footsteps approached. Body weight squeaking wood as pressure applied to it. Almost instantly, Silver was awake. There was no telling if it were real or another delusion when he felt his blankets lift and a warm body enter the bed. His nightmares were often like this. They made up the rogues gallery of his night terrors. All the same. All the bloody same. 

  
  


“Are you asleep?” A soft voice whispered. It blew against his quills ensuring him that it was, in fact, real. Silver let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“No. Is your arm okay?” He asked back, grateful that she decided to check in on him. It went quiet for a bit. He could tell she was thinking, regretting perhaps. 

He hoped she regretted what she did to herself, to him. If the last few days taught him anything it was that he was supposed to be the mess, and she was supposed to have her life together. He wanted to keep it that way—keeping her having her ducks in a row. Maybe he could improve, he definitely wanted to.

“No.” She whispered. A finger pressed against his flat quills. She flicked it with her gloves, it vibrated like the strings of a guitar. Natural armor, a shield she wished she had on her back. Spread quills made it possible to get close. Oblate welcoming a hug, so Blaze gave one. “Where did you go?” Peach arms wrapped around him the best they could at her position. 

“The gym downtown. I know you told me not to, but Knuckles agreed to help me get in shape,” He rolled around to look at her so she knew he was sincere. This is what she wanted. Ultimately he was getting his life in order while hunting down a criminal, so it was a compromise that benefited everyone. He wouldn’t dare word it that way though, nor would he mention figuring out the pedophile's name in fear of upsetting her more. 

She said nothing after that. Her eyes now focused on his chest. She ran a finger over his rib cage, it compressed and raised with each breath he took. The pounding of his heart was very auditable in the silence. Long fur covered the top half of her face, despite that, swollen cheeks told of her previous outburst. 

Silver closed his eyes. Her fingers playing with his white fur sent him in a trance. It was braided, twirled, twisted, combed. She treated it like a head of lush hair. Over and over again manipulating it, until she stopped. Silver released a gust of air from his nostrils as he felt himself drifting again. 

The sound ruffles disturbed him from his slumber. 

It had been a while since he had a bedmate, so the tiniest of movements sent him on high alarm. Blaze continued to shuffle, wiggle, and adjust. It was like she couldn’t find the perfect sleeping position, or that is what he assumed. He heard a band snap on skin, yet ignored it like the rest. Silver kept his eyes shut, praying that he would just knock out already. 

Blaze scooted closer. Silver relaxed into the pillow. Blaze rested her head next to his neck. Silver slightly raised his chin so as not to be suffocated. A hand brushed his thigh. He thought nothing of it. Said hand traveled a little higher until it stopped right on his junk. Silver opened his eyes. A set of golden pupils blinked up at him, he blinked at her. Then a squeeze. 

Silver removed her hand from his crotch. She placed it back. “Blaze—“ 

The blanket raised so she could reveal her bare bottom below an oversized t-shirt. She grabbed him again, this time massaging in an attempt to trigger arousal. 

Silver caught a glimpse of her womanhood, and knew where this was going. Not that it wasn’t already obvious. He grabbed her again. “Stop.”

“Please,” The feline whined like a child begging for candy. Her eyes watering as she tugged at his heartstrings. The twitch in her frown could make him lay down his life to provide her with whatever she desired, except that. 

“No. I don’t want to, so stop touching me,” He spoke at a whisper, but his words were harsh. 

Blaze tried it again only this time tearing up. “Please,” She drew nearer. Silver pulled away and turned around. The quilts on his back no longer flat. 

Blaze wailed into his pillow, face shoved into it, as loud ugly sobs were muffled by cotton. It was a toddler level tantrum, one she wouldn’t often throw. The cat refused to let him sleep if she couldn’t get what she wanted. 

Silver was adamant on not crossing that line ever again. As she stated before, he was now in control of his life and no one could force him to do what he didn’t want to do. No one. Not even her. He shoved two fingers in his ears as he attempted to block out the crying. It wasn’t too good, but it was a quick solution that at least brought the noise level down enough for him to close his eyes. Seconds ticked by, then minutes, and he was doing it. He was falling asleep again. 

Until he wasn’t. 

Everytime he got close enough to achieve actual rest, a sob, or blanket pull, or any other form of sad distress would disturb it. It was torture. 

“Please stop crying,” He pleaded, unable to suffer another minute of her antics. 

“You don’t love me anymore,” A shaky voice cracked as it struggled to form the words. She fell back into another fit, now balling up in the fetus position. 

“I just don’t want to do that stuff. Why fall into the sinful deeds that were thrusted upon us as children? We can show our love in other meaningful ways. Besides, most friends don’t defile each other in such a way,” He tried to explain. His tone was soft, his words kind. 

Blaze finally calmed down. “I’m not just your friend...am I?” A wet face wiped at the blanket. She blew her nose.

“Are we not friends?”

“We’re married. 6 years ago after—“ she paused, snotty gloves removed as she turned them into tissues. “We made a promise to one another,” 

Silver remembered almost too well. Most of his memories, snippets of certain events, were scrambled all over the place, but that night was clear as day. It was perhaps the worst incident they were both forced to suffer through, and right now he understood it for opposing reasons. He gripped his blankets, cradling it against his cheek. “We did.”

“So you agree we’re married?” She asked, running a finger on one of his quills. Slowly the shield preventing her from getting too close began to flatten. She was working her magic and he knew it. Intentional or not. 

“Yes. We’re married,” He repeated back at her. 

“Then can we...please,” She begged again. Bare hands gripped at silver quills. The threat of more tears loomed over him. 

He gave in. 

There was no use in giving a verbal acknowledgment. She was given a response, Silver simply turned on his back. Blaze understood his silent compliance. A kiss braced his cheek, and then another one, and another. 

She saddled on top of him, sliding over his chest, aligning her genitals to his. He wasn’t exposing, flat as a board, so Blaze began to grind on his belt. Rolling her shaking hips over and over again. There was still no reaction, so she started crying again. “Please, Silver,” Nervous hands steady on his chest fur, running through it like before, only it felt less comfortable, less trance-like.There was a tug on his follicles, so he winced in pain. She kissed him on the neck, still rubbing against him. There was still no reaction, so she pulled away, sat up, and put her body on display. Her cuts were visible, the wrapping on her arm reminding him of a few hours ago—reminding him that he was responsible.

Closing his eyes, he tried to get back in that certain mind space, get lost in the motion, but having even the slightest stimulation in that area was traumatizing enough. He didn’t want to have to turn his brain off, regress into the catacombs of his mind just to satisfy her. It wasn’t fair

“Please, Silver,” The words were like a chant, repeated over and over again, craving a different result. The definition of insanity. 

To see Blaze so tormented, was far worse than conforming to his feelings. She was doing so well until he came around, re-entered her life, and screwed everything up. He doubted she would behave this way without him. He deserved to be punished. 

What a stupid boy. 

“Please—“ Finally there was movement in his netherregions. His dick pushed against wet lips. Her bawling paused as she realized, now taking a peek at his manhood. Blaze grabbed it and brought it directly at her entrance to not waste precious time. Slowly he slid into the moist uterus. It welcomed the familiar guest in, and molded to his shape. Carefully she let gravity take its course until he reached her womb. They were now attached at the groin. Silver laid unmoved, face blank, as it often was in these situations. He didn’t have to do much since Blaze trained for this, raised for pleasure and nothing else, yet after he entered she too made no movement. “I’m hopeless without you and I just know it,” 

New words made his ears perk. “Now you just sound like me. You were doing so well while I was gone,”

“I wasn’t.” She wiped her nose on her sleeve, her walls constricting around him as she sniffled. He could feel her heartbeat. It pumped at an unusual pace. 

“I guess we’re both hopeless then,” It wasn’t meant as a joke, but it got a giggle out of Blaze. 

She laughed, then he raised an eyebrow at the sudden amusement. She ran a hand down his chest fur then got down close to his face and kissed him. Their lips interlocking, her tongue wanting to explore his orifice. He stopped her. 

“I really rather not,” A tightrope of saliva memorialized their union, until it too broke and disappeared. 

“Why not?”

“I just don’t want to,” 

This appeared to anger Blaze as she now painfully tugged at his chest fur. Her hips began to move. She squeezed around his dick. Then she stroked it using her walls like a snug sock. Over and over again she rolled then lifted her hips, rolled, lifted her hips. The goal was to milk him and he knew it. Blaze barely cared for her own pleasure, she just wanted him to cum. That tight feeling in his chest began to surface as he felt his body giving in to instinct. The pressure would eventually boil until, like a volcano, it erupted. 

He knew what Blaze was doing, what would come from this, and refused to partake. All of it would stir him off course, plus either one of them were mentally equipped for such a challenge. 

Blaze moved faster, now squatting over him as she bounced. More squeezing, more chest tugging. More tightness. Her tears morphed into warm moans. She bit her lip. Their golden eyes met. 

As he reached his peak he attempted to move his hips to pull out of her, she simply followed him, when his penis slipped out she pushed it back in. Her hopping increased. Silver got more aggressive as he shoved her. The cat fell back on her behind. His cock bobbled when it once again was forced out of her. 

She appeared shocked, betrayed, unable to believe he just did that. Blaze hit him across the cheek. “Stop!” She scolded him like a child. 

Silver held the sore spot, now their emotions switched, he was shocked. Her actions earned her another shove. The second one was less effective. Blaze climbed back on top, and clutched his sensitive organ. He yelped. She stuffed herself again. The bouncing became just as aggressive as she grabbed his weak hands and forced them under her shirt. “Silver, just do it!” She cried. Glowing palms brushed stiff nipples. 

He refused to participate. 

“No! Get off me!” They began to tussle as he tried pulling out of her, but with his diminished strength he stood no chance. Blaze overpowered him and pinned his arms to the bed. 

“You’re making me the bad guy!” Her tears dropped onto his sore cheek. Silver wasn’t even upset, he just wanted to prevent another person from living a miserable life. Maybe he was a little mad about the abuse. 

A lot mad, and frustrated, and taken advantage of all over again. Taken advantage of by Blaze of all people. “Just get off of me, okay? W-we can do other stuff instead,” He tried reasoning with her.

“I don’t want to do other stuff!” Lilac hair swayed with each motion. A trembling voice pierced his eardrums. “I just want you to stop being stubborn!” She slammed into him and that is when he finally exploded. Her insides filled with warmth as his swollen penis emptied into her womb. She made sure to stay like this, force her weight down on him, until the stream subsided. Then she fell down on his chest when his penis grew flaccid. Exhausted, she let go of his fur. “Now…” She wiped her wet face into him.

Satisfied. 

“...now we can finally be a couple,” 

  
  



	11. The Confrontation

“Keep reading or you’ll miss the best part,” Amy gripped the steering wheel as she swerved around the traffic. Her red boots pressed against the gas pedal, eyes focused on a screen and not the road. 

Tikal sat laxed in her seat, feet up on the dashboard, as she swiped through her friend’s phone. She sipped a mango smoothie, her seat reclined back. Perhaps not the most comfortable position but it was better than sitting up straight. 

Neither wore seatbelts. 

“I don't know how you got my number but if you keep contacting me I’ll get the police— she did not just threaten you!” Tikal read the message aloud. A fake voice was given for the sender of the text. It was exaggerated, overblown for entertainment value. The echidna's eyes went wide from the ending.

“She totally did and it was after I got off the phone with her demanding to know what the hell she did to Sonic,” That was the root of all the urgency; Amy’s anger. A friend of hers was hurt very, very, badly and it was up to her to piece it all together. Make it right. Bring the criminal to justice. There would be no avoiding her wrath and Sonia should’ve known better. 

“What did she do? I know Sonia isn’t a saint, but she loves her brothers more than anything,” Tikal attempted to explain in hopes of getting a bigger picture, in hopes of giving Amy the bigger picture. She adjusted in her seat as the car went blaring down the road. 

“Something awful. I don’t even know if I can say it, but Sonic told me he is now living with a rich friend, and I couldn’t help but think who the hell he could be talking about,” 

“Sally—?”

“I’m scared it is her and if so we just can’t...cannot let it happen,”

“Why not? I thought Sally and Sonic were dating,” 

“They dated. Off and on, and there is a reason they aren’t together anymore. I like Sally as much as the next guy, we’re good friends for crying out loud, but she’s just toxic for him and she’d simply trigger his trauma,”

Tikal kept silent and Amy made note of that. Toxicity wasn’t something either of them were stranger to, not that she’d admit that. Tikal had Knuckles on a leash, manipulating him with her damsel in distress persona that the guardian in him couldn’t ignore. It was a trick Amy taught her herself and whether or not it was a good thing was up for debate. The truth was Amy, with her obsessive attitude and blatant crush on Sonic, didn’t have a leg to stand on. If Sally was triggering, she’d be equally as much. 

“I don’t think it’s Sally.” It was another few seconds before her friend spoke again. 

“Why not? Who else would it be?” Amy bashed the horn as a car in front of her abruptly stopped. She poked her head out of the window, yelling expletives before recklessly driving around the assailant and flipping him the bird. “Dumb bastard! Do people not know how to drive?” 

Takal didn’t respond, the echidna simply resumed scrolling only this time taking her feet off the dashboard and fastening her seatbelt. It was an indicator that the vehicle should slow down. It did not. 

Tikal continued. “Well in the message he says his friend was kind enough to allow him to use his place, so it has to be a guy,” 

As if caught up in a new revelation, Amy took her eyes off the road, again, and scrambled to see what Tikal was referring to. Her friend handed her the phone and pointed to the message in question. It all made sense. 

“See. There’s nothing to worry about—“

“That’s even worse!” Amy screeched at the top of her lungs. It proved that whatever happened to him, happened. She sped up, the cars around her continued to honk at the mad woman. “Sonic needs to be home with his mother. Not a random rich guy we’ve never met!” The hedgehog got passionate with her wheel gripping. It was obvious this was messing with her more than it should have. 

“That’s true,” Her friend went silent for a moment before pulling out her own phone and looking out the window at the passing street signs. She had an app opened that allowed contacts to see their general area if their location was switched on. It was good Tikal still had Sonia as a friend otherwise they’d be screwed since Amy, perhaps rightfully, got herself blocked. “I think the grocery store is down Emerson Ave. You almost missed it because you’re going so fast,” 

At the drop of a dime, Amy swifty turned onto the busy street just as the light turned red. She wasted no time gliding down the road recklessly. It was a wonder they hadn’t been pulled over. In a flash they turned into a parking lot nestled between two buildings. Two cars were pulling out just as Amy pulled in and she nearly bumped into both of them. More horns honked and curses thrown. A bad case of road rage threatened to make Amy do something she would later regret, but the thought of Sonic kept her on track. “I swear half the people in this city shouldn’t have a license,” 

With a screeching halt, the pink hedgehog reversed into a handicap parking spot. When she got a concerned look from her friend, Amy reached into her glove compartment and pulled out a blue and white placard. “My dad has a busted knee, not that it matters since this is very important and there is no other parking available,” There was. Near the road there were plenty of parking spots, but Tikal said nothing further, and Amy definitely wouldn’t push the matter. 

  
  


The decent sized lot attached to a market. It sat in a traditional, one story warehouse, as the surrounding architecture didn’t go below four stories. A small oasis in a concrete jungle, at least that is how it advertises itself. The grocery store was far from a mom and pop shop, having chains all across Liberty City, but it’s small structure and neighborly aesthetic could fool anyone. 

  
  


The two stepped out of the convertible. The mango smoothie still in the echidna’s hands, and her phone in Amy’s. The hedgehog’s signature red dress was replaced with something more practical for the occasion; simple tights so as not to flash anyone if things got difficult. Tikal followed suit under Amy’s request, also wearing black leggings. They were tight fitting and uncomfortable at times, primarily in the crotch region since wedgies weren’t exactly flattering, but Amy knew her friend could handle it. 

“She should still be inside, so I want you to go to one end of the store and I’ll go to the other. The plan is to comb through this entire building until one of us spot her, got it?” The pink hedgehog handed her friend her phone back. This was treated like a special ops mission despite not being all too serious. Only of course it was serious. Any small misfortune to the world’s fastest hero was a big deal. 

“Got it. If I spot her I’ll call you and vice versa?” Tikal asked, taking one big slurp of her drink. 

“Exactly! First one to her doesn’t confront until we are both there,” It sounded easy enough. It was a basic ambush. Their goal was to corner Sonia so they could talk one on one, two on one, without the hanging up of phones or the simple walking away from a conversation. This conversation had to be had with no ways out.

  
  


With everything out of the way, the two females entered the market through two separate entrances. Amy grabbed a cart and spotted her friend at the other end. They nodded at each other before going in opposite directions. 

Slowly she tried to look as casual as possible. Green eyes scanning each passing aisle. The shop wasn’t as busy around this time in the morning, but that said little for such a popular store. People still gathered all around, bustling from shelf to shelf for their daily items. Some took their sweet time, others in an early morning rush. Amy did find the occasional empty row usually containing the expensive organic and gluten-free products, which would be shocking if they were midtown, but not surprising for the neighborhood. 

A buzz came from her bra. It was a cozy spot to store her phone when she lacked pockets. Also it made her smaller breast appear slightly larger. Which was a great added plus.

  
  


On the screen was a message from Sonic which caused her heart to flutter all over again. They had been texting back and forth since his party and she never imagined it to go so well. He seemed genuinely interested in her, and even felt open enough to share such a delicate part of his childhood. The way things were going they could be dating very soon. Oh she hoped. She deeply hoped. 

Call? 

I want 2 hear her admit it. 

Amy would happily call just to hear his voice but apparently Sonic’s microphone was broken. He could be so clumsy at times and she loved it. 

Ok.

I’m in the store now

Finding her <3

His number was dialed and the phone rang only once before he picked up. There was no sound on the other end, but that was expected. “Sonic, can you hear me? If yes just send a quick text,” Her phone vibrated giving her the answer she craved. “Sweet! I’m going to put you on speaker so you can hear everything. I’m really sorry you had to suffer through your past, but are you sure this will help with the trauma?” She asked the silent black screen. Another text message was sent. 

Yes. 

I need it

Amy stopped dead in her tracks. A familiar voice mumbled not too far away, so she flew into a breakfast aisle. On the other end of the cereal shelf she spotted none other than Sonia herself, and on the phone too. Her voice was low at almost a whisper. Amy aimed her mic as close as possible so Sonic could hear. 

“We only need $300 for the gas and light bill. I’m able to cover the rest but right now I’m the only one working,” Like a rookie giving an elevator speech, there was a lot of stuttering and insecurity in her words. The voice on the other end spoke and Sonia went quiet as she listened. Eventually she was given a moment to speak again. “He doesn’t have a job, no, but we are handling it. I have been so behind because of the career switch, but if you send the money it would help so much,” The magenta hedgehog attempted to explain, though all too aware she was doing an awful job at accomplishing that. “Mother..mother please don’t do that. We love it here, and I refuse to move back to Station Square—“ suddenly they made eye contact, Sonia blinking behind a box of oatmeal, Amy blinking back. 

The other immediately grabbed her cart and rushed to leave the aisle. 

“Hey! I need to talk to you!” Amy made quick work at closing the distance, just as her target almost got away, she crashed her shopping cart into Sonia’s. The other female dropped her phone. The device clattered to the ground before resting face up to reveal the caller ID.

“You’re crazy!” She yelled at Amy, pointing an accusatory finger in her direction. Amy shoved her back. Sonia just looked shocked, almost flabbergasted that she would dare to be so bold. A growl escaped the magenta’s lips before she went reaching for Amy’s phone only for the two to break into a cat fight. They wrestled for the device, pulling at hair and clothes and yelling at the top of their lungs. It caused quite the scene that if not put to rest quickly would result in the two getting thrown out. Amy smacked her in the face, hard, allowing herself a moment to escape. Her pink hair was a mess and her collar stretched, but beyond that she was victorious. 

  
  


“I’m crazy yet you refuse to answer my calls! What did you do to Sonic? Because he’s accusing you of molesting him,” Amy spoke in such a tone that it wasn’t loud enough to disturb the peace but was in good earshot of anyone close by. They got a few head turns and a decent crowd pretending to mind their business, but sticking around to eavesdrop. 

Sonia held her cheek, she picked up her phone. Her mother was still on the line. Everything felt a million times more embarrassing. “What!? I would never!!” Tears pricked at her eyes. 

“Oh yeah? Then explain the text messages he sent me yesterday and the pictures—“

“Pictures?!” More and more people stared. It still made little sense and only made Sonia’s head hurt more. 

“Yes the pictures you took of him masturbating!” By this time Tikal came over with her cart blocking another path of escape. Amy didn’t keep her word by alerting her, nor waiting to confront until they were both there. It was kind of upsetting, but not shocking in the least.

The voice on Sonia’s phone heard it all, gasping, before it too furiously demanded answers. 

Sonia looked confused. Not guilty, not ashamed, just confused, which made Amy reel back a little. Sonic did tell her right, didn’t he? She didn’t misread? She couldn’t have. Before Amy could question her more Sonia broke into what could only be described as a mini panic attack. 

“No! Ma, I would never hurt Sonic or Manic! I would never!” The accusations were pretty heavy, awful as Amy said before, but the reaction of Sonia bursting into tears was unexpected. 

The stigma was passed around until like a red spotlight of shame, it landed on her. Amy felt bad for doing this, but it was what Sonic wanted. She held her own phone nearby so the speedster could hear the whole thing. He wanted a confession and Amy would try her best to provide one, if not for him than for her own conscience. “Don’t lie to your mother! You know you touched him—“

“No! No! No, I would never. I didn’t I promise.” She cried. More people drew near, more gathered, more looked greatly concerned. 

“You did!” 

“Amy stop!” Tikal was very clearly upset. The look she gave Amy was that of absolute horror, disappointment. It was warranted, but not aimed at her. It should’ve been directed at Sonia—

“No! Manic touches me! He touches me, he touches me. I swear I don’t do it! I swear Ma! I swear,” Sonia fell on her face. The people around had enough, some dialing the police others giving Amy the same disgusted look. A store manager approached them, concerned. 

Tikal attempted to help Sonia up, but to no avail. 

“Is everything okay? 

Amy backed away from the scene, guilt now eroding her insides. It made no sense no one acts that way unless they were innocent, and if Sonia was innocent that meant Amy was a very bad person. 

“Sonic? Sonic why did you tell me Sonia did that to you? Why did you lie?” Tears from hot, raging, regret streamed down her own face as Amy ran to her car. Her body shook, her mind just the same. She took the phone off speaker and pressed it against her ear despite knowing she wouldn’t hear his voice. 

The call hung up. 

Amy froze from disbelief, unable to believe Sonic just did that, and that she just harassed Sonia for nothing. 

* * *

A fry flew up in the air and landed on a pink tongue. Another followed after the first, then another, and another until eventually one missed its target and tumbled to the dusty floor. The hedgehog eyed it, a very obvious debate going on in his head, before he decided to squish the potato stick with his sneakers. 

Amy glared at him. Her arms crossed, her face that of pure hatred. Her hair was still a mess from the scuffle. Her shirt ruined. Her whole day had gone to shit. On a normal occurrence she would be a chatterbox, but right now she demanded answers. Despite her seriousness Sonic couldn’t help but goof off. He treated the whole situation like it never happened, like he never lied and like his sister didn’t just admit she was currently being abused by his triplet. 

“Sonic? Are you listening to me?” Amy grabbed her previously untouched beverage and stirred her straw. Cubes of ice bobbed in the fizzy liquid, precipitation gathering on the surface. In a minute her gloves were going to reach over the table and strangle the life out of him.

“What was that, Ames? Sorry I totally blanked out,” Another fry went into the air but before it could land in his jaws it was swiftly snatched away by a white glove. 

“She wants to speak to you alone, Faker,” Shadow placed the fry on Sonic’s tray before knocking on his dome like one would a door. “For a speedster you’re pretty slow,” 

“I am not! I was just distracted,” 

Amy felt herself about to explode. He blanked out!? What did he take her for? What was his endgame? Why was he behaving like this, and so, bloody, nonchalant? The cup in her hands threatened to crack the harder she gripped it. 

“Why do you want to talk alone? Whatever you want to tell me you can tell my boyfriend too,” Sonic threw his arms around Shadow who gave a very deep, displeased, growl.

“You know I’m not a fag, don’t you Sonic?” It was a nasty bark, a bark that had a hint of inside information that Amy didn’t care to know at the moment. Sonic ended their side embrace drastically before its time. He cleared his throat in hopes of starting a new conversation. 

There wouldn’t be a new conversation. That was the last straw

Amy slammed her hands on the table. She got up. That same glare grew more intense. Her eyes cut him with her look alone. “YOU LIED TO ME AND...and embarrassed me in front of everyone! And I think Tikal hates my guts because of you!” She wouldn’t cry. She told herself she wouldn’t cry. The tears were hard to fight back, but she managed it.

  
  


“Are you talking about the party? I mean I’m sorry about that. I really appreciate all the work you put in to setting it up, but something important came up that I had to take care of,” The words progressively got more muffled the more Sonic took a bite of his burger. He still appeared unbothered, uncaring. The burger was given more attention than he’s ever bothered to give her. How was he so different in text? “You’ll get over it—“

“No! I won’t! And it’s not your stupid… your stupid,” Like a fresh tomato, Amy’s face went from a peach to a deep red. “Fucking party!” The curse word shocked the two and even herself. It wasn’t often she brought herself down to the gutter. Not directed at Sonic at least. 

The party was all but irrelevant now. 

Amy just wanted an apology, and dammit Sonic was going to give it even if she had to hit him several times over the head with her hammer. 

“Calm down, Ames. It’s not that serious,” 

“Calm down!? COME DOWN!?! YOU TOLD ME SONIA...SONIA—“ Her yelling disturbed a few restaurant patrons, but unlike at the market, she couldn’t bring herself to care. She would not relax or give him the satisfaction of enjoying his meal in peace, or ignoring the terrible thing he did. She refused—

Shadow had his eyes glued on her, his gaze pulling her in, forcing eye contact, screwing with her train of thought. _Sit down_ , it told her, his mouth stationary, and his facial expression unchanged. The eyes said it all and though Amy owed this stranger nothing she felt a pull to comply. It wasn’t magic, or mind control, or wonky hidden powers, it was simply a look of authority. Like a master to its dog, the look said sit and the hound would obey. 

Amy obeyed. Amy sat down and lowered her voice along with her head. Anything to avoid his range of sight. 

“I mean, the thing that happened to Sonia. You’re taking it so well and..and I don’t know how you’re not equally upset,” she whispered, oddly feeling defeated. 

Like two dinner plates, Sonic’s eyes blew wide. The burger dropped. From that expression alone Amy felt satisfaction that he was finally showing some humanity. It was frightening how different he was behaving, but that look was the look of the Sonic she knew and loved. 

“What do you mean?” He asked, his voice wavering. 

Amy sat back, unsure what game Sonic was playing, or if he somehow got hit in the head and developed amnesia. She was going to clearly retell the events of earlier when suddenly she was stopped before she could even get a word out. 

“This is it. She’s saying the thing,” Shadow butted in. 

“She’s saying the thing?” Sonic repeated. 

“I’m saying the—what?” This conversation was getting stranger by the second. Amy gave her drink a sniff to make sure there wasn’t anything unusual in it. The two were messing with her again, or maybe she was going crazy? 

“Ohhhh,” Sonic hit his head before he broke out into laughter. “The phone call. Yeah it was a pretty funny joke. I mean not all that original, but still pretty funny. You guessed Sonia? I thought the voice sounded more like Mina Mongoose.” 

Gibberish. Everything was as legible as gibberish. It was a lost cause trying to follow along, a losing battle trying to decipher what he meant. If they agreed it was a joke then she would play along especially if that meant she wouldn’t have to own up to her awful actions. She didn’t harass Sonia, Sonia was simply doing standup. 

It sounded like a load of crap, but a load of crap she was willing to take. 

“Wait? A joke?” He wasn’t chuckling anymore. Now he also looked in her general area but never truly at her, rather a strand of hair, or the tip of her nose, her eyebrows. Anything to avoid the eyes but still appear engaged in the conversation. “I don’t—Sonic! How could you do that to me! I had anxiety all morning because of you and that sister of yours,” Amy reached over the table to give the speedster a great big punch. A friendly jab more than anything. A fake smile replaced the glare. She stuck her tongue out at him. 

“It's not my fault you take everything so seriously. Shadow got the joke, he’s the comedian who shared it,” More fries were shoved in his trap. 

Shadow continued to stare unabashedly. His eyes no longer on her face but her body. The shirt collar that once sat at her collarbone was stretched lower, revealing a bit of cleavage. “Umm,” Instinctively she found herself covering her chest. The table fell to awkward silence. Amy needed a subject change, or at least something to distract from the gawking. 

“Well I was going to tell you the great news I originally had, but now it’s ruined by that ill tempered joke.” She nervously giggled, still holding back tears. 

  
  


“Don’t do that. Look I’m sorry you didn’t find the joke funny, I mean it was pretty tame, but whatever. Just tell us, don’t string me along, Ames. You know a guy doesn’t like that,” He winked. He winked at her!? Suddenly she felt a little bit better. 

Sonic’s enthusiastic, smooth, voice just tickled her eardrums. His perfect face with his perfect eyes and his perfect cocky grin made it hard for Amy to refuse. She didn’t have something originally, but could make something up on the spot, just for him. “Okay fine! I wanted to make up for the party, I mean it was pretty good but you weren’t there. My daddy has a cabin right outside Empire city and I was thinking we could grab a couple of close friends and spend a week down there. Just to properly give you the 18th birthday you deserve,” It came out so fluently it was almost like she planned this from the jump. 

“A cabin in the woods sounds pretty rad, huh Shads?” Sonic asked his doppelgänger. 

Amy deflated, she was reminded that someone was still drooling over. “Close friends. Just close friends,” 

“Yes I got that. This edgelord right here is the brother I always wanted. Couldn’t get closer,” Sonic gave Shadow a slap on the back. The other simply continued to sit stoically, watching Amy very closely. 

He had that dead light in his eye often seen in a predator before it made its attack, but surely that was all in her head. Shadow appeared to be an okay guy. He was uncharacteristically lively at the party, kind even. To everyone, but mainly to her. She couldn’t count the amount of times she had to brush him off, though. “Uhh I don’t know. No offense Shadow but aren’t you Sonic’s nemesis? It would kinda ruin the vibe, y’know?” She attempted to let him down easily. 

He simply stared. 

“It looks like you two already got into a fight,” The bandages were pointed out along with Sonic’s bare hands. “If you need gloves you can have mine. I have a whole bunch at home—“

“Nope. I don’t need em and if Shadow doesn’t come I ain’t going either,” Sonic said, ruining the moment for the millionth time. 

“But it will just—“

“Shadow goes or I stay,” He was really digging his heels in. The trip was made up on the spot so it should be easy to simply cancel everything then and there, she was given a free out, but now she wanted to do it. Maybe it could be an opportunity to right the wrong, or at least get away from it for a few days. Amy had no choice but to comply. What good would a _redo birthday getaway_ be if the main birthday boy was absent? “Fine, but the minute you two break out into a big fight, he’s gone,” She crossed her arms again and pretended to have control over him staying or leaving. She knew she didn’t. They probably knew too. 

Everyone played along. 

It was settled. They were doing this and the smile on Sonic’s face should’ve made her equally as happy, but instead all she wanted to do was go home, take a shower, and hide away in bed. 

  
  



	12. The Podcast

“C’mon, let’s give it one more round,” 

The warrior ropes smacked against the gym mats causing a thundering slap to echo throughout the warehouse. The faster they went the louder it got. Waves of sound and straw and braided  _ material of something.  _ Probably paper and horse hair and plastic. Either way it hit the floor, and it hit it fast. Despite that, the Echidna encouraged the large gator to keep going.

Sweat poured from his forehead, his grip stiff, his back straight, and his arms swaying the heavy rope. “Gahhh!” He roared. Painfully so. It was a show of power, might, testosterone. It was quite the workout.

“10 seconds on the clock. Let’s give it your all!” The stopwatch ticked down, the rope flinging grew more intense. Vector let out another primal bark as his arms burned and his legs gave in. The timer beeped and the rope dropped along with the beast. He was so exhausted he was huffing as much as a hungry wolf. Huffing and puffing. Breathing heavy. Ready to blow down a pig’s house. 

“Damn,” Victor said. “That took a lot outta me,” He panted. 

“Yeah? Well you did a good job today. Didn’t think you could manage two hours straight, no breaks, but you proved me wrong,” Knuckles handed him a towel and water bottle. 

“Thanks man. I haven’t had much time to exercise after I tied the knot. I guess that’s what marriage does to ya, huh?” Vector sat up and sprayed the very last drop of water down his huge jaws. The towel was used to wipe his mouth and all the sweat. It was soaked when he was through with it. 

The mention of marriage had Knuckles grinning. It was the obvious next step in any man’s life; school, career, relationship, marriage. It was all laid out nice and neatly for him. All he had to do was follow said layout and his normal life would be easily achieved. Just how he wanted it. 

“How has the Mrs been by the way,” A hand was extended to the gator, Vector took it and Knuckles helped him on his feet before patting him on his back. 

“She’s been good. I’m still getting used to the whole daddy thing, but her daughter grew on me.” The two made their way towards the shower room. The gym was fairly empty except for a few patrons scattered here and there. Knuckles had plans that evening anyway, so it worked out. 

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Silver hadn’t showed up yet and it was an hour past their scheduled time. Looking at his screen he realized it was Tikal and not his client. The text was just a frowny face. He put the phone away. “Parenthood. I don’t know how you manage it,” 

“Yeah, me neither,” 

  
  
  


A child’s wails filled the crowded waiting room. It’s mother doing little to hush it. It was her job; provide comfort, or at the least give everyone else a break before getting dragged into the chamber of boredom. No one wanted to spend half an hour doing their taxes. Talk about making bad, worse, and something mundane, infuriating. 

Most people seemed bothered by the little nuisance, but knuckles didn’t mind. It was in a child’s nature to state their grievances, and it just so happened that crying their lungs out was how it was done. Annoying? Yes. Adorable? Debatable. Would he complain about it? In his head, but right now he had the face of a friendly teddy. Whenever the little girl turned in his direction he would smile and provide a thumbs up. Thumbs up because she was doing just fine sitting there and being a kid—a bad kid, but kid nonetheless. It didn’t stop the tantrum, but at least it gave her the knowledge that someone heard her even if it was a stranger. 

“Number 473. Number 473 please step forward.” 

The mother got off the phone, picked up her purse, and wheeled the child’s stroller towards the front desk. When she disappeared a collective sigh of relief went off in the waiting room. Finally peace and quiet. 

But now there was nothing to do except stare at the television which only played the weather channel. Sunny today, sunny tomorrow, a chance at a thunderstorm on the weekend. Typical spring showers. He had nothing to do that weekend anyway. He did have something to do today, someone to meet up with, but he got a no call no show and Knuckles took that as silently quitting. That was fine. Working out definitely wasn’t for everyone. Silver would manage. Silver was probably fine. Sure, the guy looked like he was seconds away from ending it all, but maybe he found a better life coach. Maybe he was sick. 

Knuckles should give him a call. 

Maybe he would give the guy until the end of the day. Depression caused people to sleep in. He was probably sleeping in and not debating suicide. It wasn’t like Knuckles involvement would be the one thing that saved the guy’s life. His brain needed to stop thinking.  _ Focus on the forecast  _ he told himself. 

Damnit! Was some feedback that everything was okay too much to ask? Silver should be calling him. He hoped he would soon. 

“Number 474. Number 474 please step forward.” 

  
  
  


“ _ Gooooooooood _ Morning! Daddy-os and dudettes, you are now listening to Radio Racket; your one stop shop for the best 90s hit. To start the night off, why don’t we play something  _ slowwww.  _ This song goes out to all the single ladies tuned in,” 

The late evening sky glowed a soft pink as the sun slowly fell below the horizon. The lights from the traffic shimmered like artificial stars. Horns honked, music played, engines roared. The bustling streets of Empire City shreeched at the top of its mighty lungs like a crazed banshee, yet it was beautiful. 

The radio bumped an old 90s RnB slow jam. Knuckles rested his head in his palms, his elbow propped up from the open window. He was behind the wheel, stuck in rush hour and the music wasn’t exactly helping. If it were any other day he’d happily sing along, hell he’d put on a wicked performance for his fellow car mates sharing the road. Today just wasn’t one of those days.

As the traffic steadily moved forward, only by what felt like an inch, Knuckles messed with the switch. Tuning it over and over again as it switched from station to station, to static to static. No rhythm and blues for him today, the romantic mood was all but lost. He was at the verge of simply turning off the radio when he landed on something interesting. 

“—Detective Hill was the lead investigator in the  _ Infinite Manor _ case, devoting nearly two decades of her career uncovering the horrors that took place on the property.” A studious man spoke over quiet, ominous, violin strings. Knuckles turned up the volume. True crime had slowly become an interest of his. It was terrifying realizing how evil the world could be, but a normal evil. Not earth shattering evil, or end-of-time evil. As morbid as it may be, that is what he liked—preferred. Robbery, rape, abuse. It was the ugly that the average person put up with, and spending his teenagehood as a hero made him realize how much he missed the simpler crimes. But crime was still crime, and all crime deserved to be punished—just not by him. He’d join the police force if he cared to take down the big bads. He didn’t care to take down the big bads. Now obesity? That was the dragon he’d love to slay. 

The music slowed down as a new voice replaced the other. She sounded worn, tired, like a muffled tape recorder. Rusty. As rusty as the dusted keys of a neglected typewriter. “I’ve been working as a detective in Empire City for the last 30 years and that case by far is the one that still sticks with me. 10 months after we finally put it to rest and I still find myself waking up in the middle of the night with grief,” 

The evening breeze blew past the open car window. Knuckles ran a spiked hand through his red fur. The vehicle in front of him moved another inch. He followed suit. 

“It was a massacre. The whole property was a bloodbath, I’m talking big names we have been trailing for years; killed. These weren’t weak men either, most of them Mobians with unique abilities that had our squad unable to tackle a raid leading to the least casualties as possible,” The more the narrator spoke the more he could envision the scene. As if he were sitting in front of a television; clips of the crime flashing on screen, the detective looking just beyond the camera so as not to break an invisible fourth wall and cause the viewer some discomfort. Text below her flashing credentials. The whole nine yards. 

“Yet when our units arrived, there stood the two kids. Completely untouched. We recognized the pair from the hundreds of exploitive material we’ve gathered in the years. The two damn near made up our whole case. The boy, a hedgehog, was particularly popular in what they would call the ‘*child sex industry*’—it’s all a load of bull and just videotaped abuse, but these sickos don’t see it that way,”

Knuckles sat up at the mention of a hedgehog. His first thought was to his friend; Sonic. Obviously they weren’t referring to him. Sonic was the last guy that could ever get caught up in a sex ring, not to mention they had been friends for years and fought together for just as long. It could’ve been anyone, a random hedgehog totally unknown to him. It probably was a stranger—

“There was also a girl with him. She had been seen in a lot of illegal movies doing things no person, let alone a child, should be forced to endure. She was a fan favorite and often paired with the boy. They referred to them as the  _ dynamic duo _ because the viewer base would spike whenever the kitten was on screen.” The voice went on and as she did it started to feel more personal. A hedgehog was hardly a thing to write home about but he had this gut feeling, this itch in the back of his head, to try and pair it to who he knew. Where had he heard  _ dynamic duo  _ before? Sonic and Tails, but that could be coincidence. Besides, Tails was a boy. 

  
  


“And how do you think the two managed to kill them all?” The host spoke again. His voice soft, alluring, almost to calm the listeners as the gut wrenching subject matter went on. 

Knuckles found himself at the edge of his seat. He too wanted to know how they managed it. A secret government agency, or perhaps vigilantes, an act of god striking the offenders dead? A horn honked behind him as the flow of traffic moved. 

Knuckles did not. 

“The boy possesses powers. From what he told us he couldn’t take it anymore, so he made their heads explode,” 

  
  


The sliced chicken breast sizzled in the pan. Oil popped below it, heating, cooking, burning, yet Knuckles found himself staring beyond the food rather than at it. His mind wandered to an unknown place and it took the sting of jumping oil to pull him back to reality. He winced in pain. Rushed to run his arm under cold water. 

It hurt yet he found he didn’t feel it, almost as if the pain simply didn’t matter at the moment. All day he had been wrestling with the thought of putting his new client behind him, he didn’t show up for the first day of training? So what? Life gets busy for most people, it got busy for him. They can try again tomorrow and see if he shows up. 

Normal procedure. Nothing to write home about. 

Yet there he stood in front of the sink as bothered as a death in the family. There might as well be a funeral. His mood had one foot in the grave. 

The rice boiled over and the chicken sat burnt. Were the vegetables better off? Nope. They were a soggy mess of greens and totally devoid of all flavor. This was exactly why he left the cooking to Tikal. 

With a quick clean up, dinner was served in under 10 minutes. The table was set. It was a matter of playing the waiting game now, so he waited. And waited, and waited, and waited. With all the silence it was easy to slip back into his head. 

Right now he was caught up on the podcast. Right now it was a balance between Sonic and Silver. A big pain in the ass but one he wanted to address. The need to hear the rest of the story weighed heavy on his shoulders. Despite knowing better he couldn’t help but see Sonic as the mysterious trafficked boy. 

It all just added up.

Sonic was a hedgehog, he was male, and he knew and fought Infinite. What more evidence does one need? Case closed. He solved the DaVinci code. Not only that, but it would explain the odd behavior he’s displayed in the past few days. 

Knuckles slammed his palms on the table, startling his cold meal, as he had an  _ eureka! _ moment. He rushed to find his phone before scrolling through his contacts. Sonic probably wouldn’t pick up, all his other calls went straight to voicemail, but maybe if he made it very clear how urgent the—not so urgent—situation was, maybe he’d get a response? Amy got a response. Sonic didn’t even like Amy. Whatever the fuck the enchidna did to get the silent treatment was beyond him. This was high school level bull if he ever saw it. 

The dial tone rang. Then it rang some more. The anxiety waiting for a call to pick up was an odd one. Like a person was left in unintentional anticipation. Like your heart was racing despite trying to call grandma to see if she took her meds on time, and when the response finally came that breath you were holding in can finally get released, or if it didn’t get through, well, then started the fit of kissing teeth and grumbling under the breath. 

Sonic didn’t pick up. 

Knuckles leaned against his dining room window overlooking the city. “Hey man, when you get this message give me a call. I haven’t seen you in a few days and I get it if life is kicking ass right now, but I just wanna know why you bailed on the party and if—you’re outside?!“ As he looked down at the dark empty streets, who else did he spot but the devil himself. Sonic was just outside the gym trying to peek through a crack in the garage door, or that is what he assumed. Who the fuck knew what he was doing all hunched and barely out of view. It was suspicious but went ignored. Knuckles lived on the third floor of the building just above his place of business, and did it have a lot of cons, but right now he was looking at a pro. 

The dread head growled as he hung up the phone and opened his windows. “You son of a bitch! So instead of answering your phone you rather bother me at the odd hours of the night?!” He yelled, surely disturbing a few neighbors. 

Sonic backed away from the door as he looked up at his friend with the biggest, cheekiest, shit-eating, grin on his face. “I didn’t know you missed me that much, baby girl!” Then a kiss was blown his way and Knuckles couldn’t help but shake his head. 

“You’re lucky I wanna talk to you otherwise I’d leave your ass in the cold for that comment!” Despite the words of vitriol, Knuckles also grinned. He was happy to finally see his friend after all these years—3 days. It’s only been 3 days, but Sonic being the social butterfly that he was, radio silence for even a day was cause for concern. 

“You wanna unlock the door for me, or am I busting in SWAT style?!” Sonic couldn’t seem to stand still in one spot . He was a child on a sugar rush; jogging in place, stretching, bouncing. An ADHD baby. One with a bastard face and a mile wide smile. 

Knuckles didn’t give him a verbal reply, he simply got up, headed outside his apartment, down the stairs, and opened the side door. Again Sonic was fidgety. Almost like an addict. 

“Are you on drugs?” Knuckles asked flat out. There was no amusement in his tone. He was serious. 

“Wha?” There was a brief moment of confusion as the hedgehog got nearer to the door and as they made their eye contact. “Am I on drugs?” Sonic repeated. He chuckled to himself. It was clear he didn’t take the question to heart. 

Knuckles held the door open then shut it when they both entered the building. He guided him towards the steps. Sonic’s been there a million times, he knew where he was going, yet he followed as if trekking new territory. 

“Nah. I thought about it, but once I realized it’d mess with my dashingly good looks I dropped the thought faster than a hot potato. Are you on steroids?” 

The question was warranted, and Sonic appeared to give an honest answer, so Knuckles would return the courtesy. “You’d know if I were on steroids. Barely got the muscle mass for it now,” 

“Yeah and you’d be beating the shit outta Tikal. Unless you already do that,” 

“Haha, very funny,” Eye rolls and sarcasm. Two things that went better together than peanut butter and jelly. Knuckles left his apartment door open. Sonic kicked off his shoes and threw them haphazardly near the wall. The place was clean and overly organized. One would think it happened after Tikal moved in, but the flat was far more neat before her. 

“As a hedgehog who respects women, I don’t find domestic violence very funny,” He took a seat at the table and picked at the cold food. It looked gross but he was starving, so a piece of burnt chicken was thrown down the hatch. 

“Yet you beat up your brother right in front of your younger sister. You wanna tell me about that?” 

Sonic paused. Then he let out one short chuckle. 

“Nah. I don’t wanna talk about that. I came here because I have a problem and...uh.. well you’re my best friend beyond Tails, but he’s a kid, so...”

“Yeah I wouldn’t consider a kid as my best friend, but I get that you guys have history. Go on,” Knuckles returned to his own seat. The food remained untouched. 

Again Sonic paused. He no longer looked so confident and that smirk of his died down like a smothered flame. “I’m just scared I’ll do something very bad, and I was curious how you would handle it if in my situation?” The way he deliberately tried to evade looking in Knuckles general location told of his discomfort. The avoidance, the rise in the forehead muscles, the bags under the eyes; all telltale signs. “I guess I just want a level head who’s 100% on team good guys, Y’know? No one neutral. No one who would encourage one bad thing simply because I do a whole heap of... _ hero stuff _ .” 

And there he had it. The confirmation was given to Knuckles on a silver platter. The boy in the podcast  _ had  _ to be Sonic and this whole dilemma  _ had _ to be related. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. God, if only he was good at the mental stuff, then he would manage to really offer decent help for the horrific struggles Sonic was going through. 

The hedgehog turned his back to him, and it was when he heard faint sniffling did it become clear why. 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, Knux. I just want to be normal again and not have these awful thoughts. I’m telling myself—I keep hearing it’s inevitable, but that’s not true. It can’t be,” 

To lessen his friend’s embarrassment Knuckles refrained from patting him on the back or treating him like a defenseless woman, Sonic was not. He was perhaps the strongest man Knuckles knew. He’d argue much stronger than even himself. To cry was not to show weakness, but a call for help, and everyone needed a hand at times. 

“When I used to guard the chaos emeralds I often questioned if it would be worth it to take a life if it were to the benefit of the world. It was an external conflict I’d struggled with for such a long time, and to tell you the truth, I never did come to a conclusion. I will tell you this; a bad deed doesn’t negate the good that you’ve done, but it will corrupt you to your very core. Soon you’ll start to make excuses to do it again. Soon it will become ritual. Soon the bad  _ will  _ outweigh the good.” It might’ve not been the right advice but it was the advice that Knuckles knew. He had to be honest and he was never for sugarcoating. So he continued. 

“And then there are things that you just don’t do. Not even once. I don’t know if I’d put murder on that list, but it’s okay if you did take a life or you’re thinking about it,” 

Sonic wiped his face but still kept his back to him. His body shook. He bashed a closed fist against his dome a few times. Frustration was in his voice. “It’s much worse, Knux. It’s so much worse. My brain is broken and I want to do terrible things to—“ 

The front door opened. 

Tikal placed a stack of mail on the coffee table and her purse on the floor when she noticed the extra pair of shoes. Looking up she smiled when she saw the quills of the blue blur in their dining room. “Sonic! It’s nice to see you! Knuckles and I have been holding on to your birthday present and I guess it was a good thing we did since you aren’t living at home anymore,” 

Sonic now faced the kitchen. Knuckles could see the side of his face and he could see his hopeless attempt at drying tears without making it obvious. Tikal approached and he stopped her. 

“We do have your present. Why don’t we get it?” The echidna ushered his girlfriend towards their room. She quickly followed without much protest. 

“Sure. We won’t be long,” She quickly closed the door before Knuckles could. Her face dropped its smile as she now looked equally as upset as Sonic. “You haven’t been answering my texts,” 

“You know I’m busy during the day. It totally slipped my mind,” He was expecting another argument about made up infidelity, when instead his girlfriend covered her face in her palms. She sighed. Knuckles crossed his arms. “You okay, Ti?” 

“No. Today was a nightmare.” It was a disgruntled mumble followed by her body leaning against the door. 

“You wanna talk about it?” 

“Sonic lied about Sonia molesting him and I don’t know why. He isn’t here because of that? Tell me if he spoke to you about it,” Tikal grabbed Knuckles by the arm as she too looked on the verge of tears. “You don’t look shocked so he must’ve,”

Again another sign. Another confirmation. “He didn’t, but I think I know why he lied to you—how did that conversation even come about anyway?” 

“Amy—“ Tikal was cut off before she could even start. 

“Of course.” He was getting very tired of her shit. Most of the drama in their friend circle somehow tied back to Amy. She was a magnet for it. It would’ve been impressive if not annoying. “I’m not going to gossip or expose his business, but Sonic is going through a lot right now. I say we let this lie slide for the time being,” 

Tikal pouted. She said “Fine.” Then she gave in. 

He held her cheeks and looked into her eyes. Her nose leaked a stream of clear snot. Knuckles wiped it with his glove. “I don’t want you talking to Amy anymore,” 

“You’re not my dad,” The prissy princess pulled away. Her wet nose went up defiantly like a rebellious teenage girl. 

“I’m not, but your father trusts me to protect you and Amy will get you hurt one of these days, and when that happens I can’t be held accountable for the things I will do,” 

“Stop.”

“I’m serious. I’m not above hitting women,” 

“Would you hit me?”

That was a non question. Knuckles didn’t want to even entertain it. “No. Let’s get the gift. Sonic probably thinks we’re screwing in here,” 

“If you’d hit a woman you could hit me,” It appeared she wanted to dig in her heels on this conversation. Tikal blocked the door. 

Knuckles sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to argue. “I should’ve never worded it like that, but I mean what I said about Amy being a bad influence,” 

“Okay, daddy. I won’t talk to her anymore. We aren’t on speaking terms anyways,” Tikal smirked as she booped Knuckles on the nose. She kissed his cheek. Again, she gave in, too quickly. It meant the moment Amy apologized would be the moment they were friends again. It meant this conversation would soon be null and void. It meant there was a slight chance Knuckles really would have to hit a woman in the future. Annoying, but for the sake of keeping the peace he let the topic die. 

“The gift is in the closet,” Tikal was out of the room before Knuckles could even see where she was pointing to. He heard her greet Sonic again only this time his friend greeted back. They fell into casual conversation. 

Knuckles took this moment to have a breather. 

The gift was tucked away under a stack of folded laundry. It wasn’t wrapped, but was a packaged camera. Knuckles wanted to give him another pair of sneakers, Tikal thought the gift was cheap. It kind of was—cheap in thought—but the shoes definitely weren’t. Speedsters loved their sneakers and needed ones that wouldn’t break at the seams at high velocity. Such material cost an arm and a leg, yet a camera was supposedly better?

Happy wife, happy life. Anything to keep the dearest smiling. 

“...it’s just going to be us. Totally cozy friend gathering, but it wouldn’t feel right without you two,” Sonic leaned against the kitchen island stuffing his face with soggy vegetables. 

Tikal sat at the table with the gross food pushed away. Her body faced Sonic as she wore that same smile from earlier. “We’d love to go! Is it next week?” 

“What’s going on?” Knuckles placed the box in front of Sonic who all but shined a few watts brighter at the appearance of the gift. 

“Amy planned a camping trip to make up for Sonic’s birthday,” Tikal explained as she rested her head on her palms while watching the hedgehog tear through the box. She was that mother on Christmas morning. What joy a present could bring. 

Knuckles didn’t feel joy. Already she forgot about the conversation they had a minute ago. No more Amy? Well that unsurprisingly didn’t last long. He said. “Really? Hmm,” Then nothing further. 

“Oh don’t look at me like that. I’m not going for  _ her _ . I’m going for Sonic,” 

“Why can’t you go for Amy?” The speedster stopped as he started to read the room. The tension was squashed when Knuckles uncrossed his arms and let his back slump. 

“It’s nothing. I’m just being an ass. Just give me the time and date and I’ll see if can clear up my schedule for the day,” 

“Weekend,” Sonic corrected. The camera was removed from its box and turned on. It was held to his eye as the hero recorded the room very slowly. “Damn it’s like I’m on a movie set. I love it! Thanks guys,” 

“It was my suggestion,” Tikal winked. 

Knuckles chuckled. “It definitely was, but I don’t know if I can do a weekend. I got a gym to run,” 

“Just close it. It’s not like people can’t workout at home. It’s not a necessity,” If only the solution was just that simple. 

“And risk losing patrons? I don’t know, man. I also got my first client and I’d hate to be gone for that long when we literally just got started,” 

“Invite them with us,” 

“I thought it was close friends?” Tikal added as she started gathering the dishes and tossing the food out. 

“It is but I’ll make an exception. I just really want you there, Knux, but I understand if responsibilities come first,” Sonic removed his eye from the viewfinder. The camera beeped. It shut off. 

Knuckles wanted to help people? He wanted to make a difference? He wanted to be a life coach? Well there was his opportunity. A two for one deal. Fixing whatever was wrong with Sonic was far more important than his gym—well sort of. It would be his last act of heroism before he went back to the normal grind of life, and helping normal issues. 

Silver could come alone, maybe if the guy saw an example of someone to look up to he would know where he could be in a year's time. It just all made too much sense. It just all worked so well together. It would be foolish to pass such a chance up. 

“You know what, yes. Yes, I’ll be there and I’ll invite my client too. You’ll like him. He’s also a hedgehog,” Knuckles was hit with more energy than he’s had in years. It was like the good old days when he was a guardian to world altering gems. Good times, but he wouldn’t miss em. 

“Hey! Are you saying just because we’re both hedgehogs we’ll get along? Because I can name a boatload of enemies that look like me, buddy. In fact I fucking hate hedgehogs. I rather be a fast running vole, or maybe an echidna,” 

Tikal giggled again as she got in between the two. “Here Sonic. I noticed your hands are bare,” she placed a pair of white gloves next to him. He looked at it and his whole demeanor froze. 

Knuckles rolled his eyes at the previous comment. “I hadn’t noticed how naked you look without gloves,” Sonic’s bruised knuckles were also noticed. It should be par for the course for a hero, yet at the moment it just felt wrong. 

“I don’t need em. Gonna let my scars heal up, Y’know?” 


	13. The Test

The choice between a packet of gelatin wrapped in many colorfully coatings, or gelatin in one large chewy form was a hard one to make. The taste would be the same. The shape? Different. The price? He hadn’t looked at that. Silver had never done his own shopping before. He forgot things required money and weren’t just given for free if he was a good boy.

“The space rockets look good. You should get them,” A feminine voice whispered into his ear. There was weight pressed down on his quilled head and as he looked up from his squatted position that weight became clear. A pair of breasts rested on his forehead. Not anymore. He shot up faster than a  _ space rocket.  _

“I’m okay. Blaze told me to grab one thing and one thing only,” The money was given to him, but he felt too embarrassed to admit he didn’t know how to count. It sat in his palms just taking up space and reminding him how utterly useless he was. 

The bat tucked a strand of white fur behind her ear. She could hear his heartbeat and how fast it pounded in his chest. Usually Rouge would have to do a whole lot more to get a guy riled up than breaking his personal bubble. Silver was an odd dude. “Blaze isn’t your mother and you’re an adult. Buy whatever you want,” 

Blaze wasn’t his mother. Oddly enough he had to remind himself of that fact. The grey hedgehog stood up using the shelves as support. His brittle rib cage raised as he exhaled. Why was simply  _ existing  _ so exhausting for him? “It’s not my money. I should buy the sole item she wanted,” 

“And what is the item she wanted again?” A list of things to pick up were pulled from Rouge’s half full basket. The list was scanned while she hummed a soft tune. She reached past Silver to grab the Space Rockets. 

Silver gulped. His golden eyes searched the shelves around them so he wouldn’t have to say the word or acknowledge why Blaze would need said item. He spotted a few small boxes near a donut rake and rushed over to read them. In seconds he was entering a whole new aisle and was decently away from Rouge. 

He exhaled again. 

Question avoided in such an awkward and sudden manner, but avoided nonetheless. 

Last night was scary, but it was normal—expected even. He hadn’t felt so in his element since he left the mansion. His birthright returned with a vengeance, and the  _ right  _ was the right for him to be seen as means of pleasure and not as a person. The future he was from did not see it that way, god surely didn’t either. Maybe god did. Maybe the future was wrong about him saving the world. He really ought to return him and go to sleep. Sleep was all he wanted. Sleep was all he needed. 

A stack of newspapers sat next to a large window. Silver stared at them and at the headline on the cover; 

**ROBOTNIK SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS PROBATION FOR GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY. PROTESTERS FURIOUS.**

The subtitle mentioned Sonic plastered across the photo of an old man escorted in cuffs among an angry crowd. Suddenly he didn’t know if he felt sleepy anymore. 

“Pregnancy test? Is that what she wanted?” Rouge was behind him again. Her basket hung from her arm as she held it in a snooty manner. She was fast and quiet. Very ninja-like. Very unnerving. “I had no idea she had a boyfriend. Did you know?” She grabbed the small box and read it over. “‘ _ One to two weeks after intercourse,’ _ it says,” She mumbled just loud enough for him to hear her. “I wonder who was over a week ago?” She shrugged before adding it to the basket. 

“B-blaze doesn’t have a boyfriend,” Silver didn’t know that for sure. Oddly his mind started to question that bit of information. If she had a boyfriend would she tell him? Did he even have the right to know? Did it matter? Because he was only to focus on Sonic at the moment and nothing else. Not even his  _ wife— _ maybe wife? Companion. 

“No? Then what are you to her again?” Rouge looked at him with her face as casual as ever, yet still holding a dash of amusement. When he didn’t respond right away she continued. “I could barely sleep last night from all the noise,” The bat could read minds. It was the only thing that made sense to why she was so spot on to what he was internally feeling. 

Silver’s face burned hot with embarrassment. “I’m sorry about that. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have upset her,” He was quick to apologize and hang his head in shame. How awful of him to be such a bad boy. How awful of him to be the cause of both Blaze and Rouge’s problems. They lived comfortably before he joined the equation. Silver never once took anyone else into consideration like the selfish person he was. 

Rouge simply watched him with a look that wasn’t readable. It was like she was taking a moment to register the situation and decide on how to react. A ding must’ve gone off in her head because suddenly she was smiling. It was friendly and maternal, something that was a strong draw for the hedgehog. 

“Don’t apologize. Now that I think about it, it’s hardly any of my business,” She then turned from him to continue browsing. Her fingers trailed over the items on the shelf. She was slow enough to allow Silver an opportunity to catch up, but she also kept going just in case he wanted his space from her. As she reached the end of the aisle he followed a few feet behind. 

The store was small inside and out, with empty gas pumps out front, and the city’s skyline in the distance. They were quite far from downtown, but a two minute walk from the apartment complex. Rouge escorted him not due in part to Silver getting lost, but because she saw it as a good opportunity to get better acquainted. It didn’t help that Blaze agreed with this sentiment, and the babying of Silver commenced. Could he complain? Maybe, but not now. Not while he was still so fragile both mentally and physically. 

Besides, Blaze knew what was best. She managed to become a very accomplished adult in just ten months, all while he was hiding away in a dingy basement forgetting to feed himself. The infantilism was warranted. 

  
  


Rouge placed the basket on the counter. She had to stand on her tippy toes since most places outside certain neighborhoods weren’t Mobian, aka short people, friendly. The sales clerk leaned over the counter to get a good look at her before helping her properly steady the basket. No words were exchanged, not even a short greeting. There was only silence as he took a moment to check out the items. 

Silver watched behind Rouge. He waited for her to hand him the two pregnancy tests so he could buy them separately, but soon they were scanned along with everything else. 

“That’ll be $16.75,” He said with a yawn. 

Rouge reached into her purse and went searching for her wallet. She swore under her breath as she moved things around this way and that way, checking each and every pocket, before resorting to emptying out her bag on the counter. “Oh dammit, I think I forgot my wallet,” The bat mumbled as she did a double check. Triple check. A check four times over.

Silver clenched the money in his palms before looking at it. He knew what each number looked like and he could even state the names with confidence, “I’ll pay for it,” he just didn’t know what would be the remainder of a 20 after the cost was subtracted. 

“Would you? Aww, Silver, thank you,” Blaze let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the way. 

The clerk simply looked at silver with the same tired eyes. “$16.75,” He repeated. 

“I have $20. Would that be enough?” Silver all but whispered as he avoided looking anywhere in the humans direction. He knew he looked like a fool. It was just par for the course for him. Rouge’s ears perked when he asked the question but she didn’t say anything. 

“Yup,” The guy said while taking his money. He was as causal about that question as he was about everything. Working at a gas station must thicken the skin. Maybe this was normal for the clerk; coming across the illiterate. “Here’s your change, have a nice night,” The bagged items were slid their way. 

“Would you grab that please,” Rouge said as she quickly gathered up her purse’ innards from the counter, along with his change. 

Silver nodded and did as he was told. 

“Thank you, darling,” The bat waved goodbye to the clerk before walking side by side with Silver and interlocking their arms together. The door dinged as they left. The cool night air brushed against their fur. Rouge led him towards a shortcut back towards the apartments via an open plot of land. It was a green field in the midst of a concrete jungle. The grass was tall and untamed ,old trash peeked through it, but a dirt footpath allowed for traversing through the grassy plains easier. It just didn’t help that there were no lights shining anywhere near it, so once they left the sidewalk attached to the gas station, they were left in the dark. Rouge didn’t appear to mind being a bat and all. 

Silver very much did. 

There was silence beyond the sound of footsteps shuffling over sand and the occasional car far away on a road barely seen over urban flora, so when the hedgehog gulped it was audible. When he gulped, his companion giggled. 

Rouge rested her head on his shoulder. “You remind me of my past self,” She paused. Her eyes looked towards the wall of buildings far off, or at the street lamps just on the other end of the field, or into the void of her thoughts. “When I worked for the government I met my ex. He was what I thought I wanted in a guy, and to this day I’m unsure if that has changed or not. I had to resign because of him,” She chuckled but it was clear the mocking laughter was directed at herself. 

“Silly me, huh?” 

“Some relationships don’t last,” Silver said with a new sense of tranquility he couldn’t explain. He didn’t like being touched, especially by Rouge. Right now he could tolerate it. 

“I wanted our relationship to despite what he put me through, and still continues to put me through. The stories I could tell,” Her smile dropped. 

The stories he could tell too. Trauma was an odd thing because regardless if a person experienced the same occurrence as another they could still relate. There was comfort found among hurt people and being with Blaze all his life taught him that. “I’m sorry you’ve experienced that,”

“Don’t apologize, you big softie, it’s not like you are responsible for a stranger’s actions. He’s an asshole and he’d always be an asshole. I’m just that dumb bitch that craves his attention regardless,” She didn’t say much afterwards. The two walked in silence for a while. Rouge sighed. 

They were through the field before they knew it. The parking lot to the apartment was just across the street. It was late, but cars still zipped by. Silver looked both ways to prepare to cross the street when Rogue stopped him and pulled him towards a nearby bus stop. She sat down on a graffiti covered seat. Silver was expected to follow suit, so he did. 

“Are we going somewhere else?” He asked like a curious child. 

Rouge simple shook her head. 

“Do you just need a moment?” He asked. 

Rouge nodded in agreement. 

“Okay,” He said, leaning back. “I need one too,” 

  
  
  
  


His phone rang. 

It was plugged into the wall and discarded, often forgotten behind. As it vibrated it fell from his nightstand and under his bed. He didn’t bat an eye. Often ringing was cancelled out in his brain. Especially that from a phone. His eyes were glued to a suspicious stain on the carpet. It was red, maybe purple, a wine color? Ketchup perhaps. 

It rang again.

No one called him anyway, no one but Blaze. She sat on his bed crisscrossed with nothing but an oversized t-shirt on and a toothbrush in her mouth as her paws searched through the bag of bought items like it was buried treasure. Nothing was safe from inspection including what was originally for Rouge. She took out the two pregnancy tests and then tied up the rest. 

“The phone’s ringing,” Blaze told him.

“Is it?” He said. It took him a moment to unstick his eyes from the spot on the carpet. 

“It is,” She assured him. He looked up. They made eye contact. He looked away.

Silver got down on all fours. He peeked beneath the bed for the device. He spotted a locked pink box shoved in the far corner against the wall. It had no tags or labels, nothing written on top, and beyond the color and silver lock, it was as plain and as rectangular as any old box. He was tempted to reach for it, but then Blaze moved on the mattress only to remind him, yet again, that his phone was ringing. 

Silver grabbed it then finally accepted the call. He sat up and said a very quiet, “hello?” Before Blaze motioned for him to get off the dirty floor and sit on the bed. 

“Hey, Silver, this is Knuckles. How are ya?” A concerned voice asked on the other end. 

“Oh..um...I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to training today,” He didn’t need him to say it. Silver already knew he failed his personal trainer before they even had a chance to properly start his lifestyle plan. 

“Don’t sweat it. I know life can be busy sometimes, so I don’t fault you for it,” Knuckles response was surprising. To know that he didn’t upset someone who showed a genuine concern for his well-being was a breath of fresh air, but dammit if Silver still didn’t feel super guilty. 

“We can try again tomorrow?” Hopefully they could. He needed new leads on that pedophile. 

“Actually I was calling to let you know that I’ll be out of town this weekend but I wanted to know if you’d like to come and we can start the first day of training in the great outdoors? I have I want you to meet and I think he’d make a really good role model. You mentioned him before, Sonic the Hedgehog, right? You know him? ” 

Silver was speechless. It didn’t feel real just how everything was playing out. It was like this was orchestrated. How in the hell would he get an opportunity to see Sonic again only after a few days of his complicated plan coming to fruition—okay so the plan wasn’t that  _ complicated,  _ but it should’ve taken him much longer than a day or two to get to this point if things were happening naturally. His mind told him it was the future that was responsible for putting things into place, so he decided to stick with that. 

Silver was taking too long to respond so Blaze removed the toothbrush from her mouth and took the phone from his hand. 

“You still there Silver?” 

“Hello? Who is this?” Blaze spoke as if she were Silver’s mother and she just caught her son in a conversation with an online predator. 

Silver could only faintly hear what Knuckles said. It was clear that he revealed who he was but not much more was understood beyond that. Blaze’s tension elevated once she realized who it was and what he wanted. A camping trip with Sonic. A dream come true. 

“I’m surprised you remember my voice,” She said. Then there was more dialogue and more conversation that Silver all but gave up on trying to keep up with. Instead he looked at the spot on the carpet, and the boots on his feet, and as if the sight alone put a spark down his pain receptors, he was struck with the sudden urge to take his shoes off. He did, unzipping each zipper slowly, ever so slowly so not to make noise, before pulling the boots from his feet and gently placing them near the bed. A person who had their life together might’ve put them in the closet and they might’ve got up to go brush their teeth, shower, and prepare for bed, but he was the furthest thing from  _ together,  _ so instead he wiped his sleepy eyes and laid down. Blaze continued her mothering of Silver by completely taking over the decision on whether or not the invitation would be accepted. 

Fine by him. 

It wasn’t like Silver had the capacity to make the right choice anyway. 

He drifted off to sleep listening to the sound of her voice. It vibrated from the bed and through his bones. It was comforting. He liked it. 

“Okay, we’ll see you then,” Blaze hung up the phone. “He’s a really nice guy,” She said while running a hand through Silver's quills. He was no longer sleeping, yet he kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady. “I wish you would’ve told me about him,”There was shuffling next to him. “Silver?” 

He didn’t respond.

“Silver,” She shook him. 

He opened an eye then let out a muffled “mhm,” before Blaze got up and left the room. A large piece of him sighed with relief. He loved her, but she was quickly becoming another trigger for his trauma. 

But they were married. 

He should be okay with this, with her, but he honestly didn’t know anymore. And everything just felt so confusing. Everything except stopping Sonic, so he decided to focus on that. Soon they would face each other, and soon he would have the evidence he needed to prove his crimes. Then, and only then, would he bring him to justice and rid the world of another Infinite.

And then after, 

After, he didn’t know. 

He hoped the future would take him back and cleanse his soul. If not his soul than his mind. If not his mind then he needed the reassurance that what happened could never happen again, not to him, not to anyone. 

The room's switch flicked. It grew dark. He continued to keep his eyes closed and he continued to tell himself not to panic, he was safe now. He was safe. 

Blaze climbed back into the bed and got underneath the covers. Her hand returned to his quills. She moved closer to steal his body heat. 

“Silver,” She said, and he already knew where this was going. Without putting up much of a fuss, he turned over on his back to allow her to lay on top of him. 


End file.
